Patrick McCarthy welcome to the site, it's a great resource and a fantastic way to connect.

You also live right next to your tenants, a tip I got from a member was if tenants ask if you are the landlord, let them know you have to check with your "parter" when making decisions.I think it is a fantastic way to get started, since you get your feet wet with Property management and also have a primary residence 

I think the loan pay down, tax benefits, cash flow, and appreciation make rentals a fantastic investment.  

TP is a fantastic place to live, but an awful place to be an landlord.

If it was that simple, with that fantastic of an LTV, just being a rental wouldn't make all of these lenders turn you down.

It's like signing a one year lease in exchange for a fantastic and relatively low risk shot at tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax-free profit and a flip with training wheels while you live in the place. 

I would also like to take the time to thank @Joshua Dorkin and @Brandon Turner for making this fantastic website that has taught me so much!

Creative financing is a fantastic way to get started.

@Sean Tarpenning is a fantastic option in Kansas City.

Making a goal to purchase your first buy and hold rental in 2017 sounds fantastic.