It may not be $300 a year in your local area but it is cheaper than you think.

By staying in their homes I mean the payment is affordable and you couldn't rent for cheaper (all things being equal).

One way is to get the cheaper cabinet box, the part with the shelves, and put higher end doors on.

Here in the DC metro area it is considerably cheaper to own a property than to rent one.

We sold instead of dumping a ton of money into it.One tip if you are going to do a high end system for cheaper.

What we've found is that, just like you and I, the first place everyone goes when their motivated to find solutions & answers is online, even when they about to lose the house and have direct mail laying on the dinner table.Online ads are ideal in many ways because you can target the exact type of client you want, in the exact area you want, when they are motivated, and usually for cheaper than other advertising forms versus time and return.  

I can see using p2p for downpayments / rehab costs if you need cash quick and painless, but yes obviously bank financing is much cheaper. 

Xactimate (I have no affiliation and I wish there was a cheaper competitior).”

Lots of investors here will go the maximum number (6 Freddie Mac, 10 Fannie Mae) of conventional loans as they tend to be cheaper than other loans.

Looking back what I would likely do is pay cash for the cheaper property, then later refinance out once the value goes up and get all of my cash back and own it with none of my cash invested anymore