I hope, but doubt, that that's what turned off other investors.

Since you have a good credit score, I agree that you are probably going to be better off using 5% down than working with FHA.

If anyone has any input or advice on whether to invest now versus waiting on the market to hopefully cool off, I would greatly appreciate it.thanks! 

All speculation at this point, but near Lee St/29 and a little north of the Sylvan Hills neighborhood, imagine this:  taking MARTA from the airport heading back north in town, you get off of at a hub, where now you can walk over to the Atlanta Beltline terminal and take transport to your stop. 

So for us if we can pay it back in 2 years or less, we will write off that interest and have it paid back in that period and look for the next deal. we find that if it doesnt pass our heloc test it wont pass  our SDIRA test...

To top it off, once I get that information, I have to then set a dedicated timeframe to do all the pile of expenses. 

With interest rates and inventory where they are on-market, you're likely to have too much competition to win a good deal off of the MLS.

Every property goes down the assembly line and everyone has to do their job perfectly or at the end of the line the wheels fall off and the car bursts into flames. 

The day I purchased it I reached out and introduced myself to all four tenants and one tenant told me that she was currently living with a relative because her electric got shut off.  

They could be real properties or people just collecting emails to add to a "off market list".