I have spent the last year educating myself, rebuilding credit, and putting away money for a down payment.  

If the tenant is also elderly that's "two boxes" checked.

I'd Have shelves, thinking warehouse style, and several standardized sizes of boxes. 

Spending hundreds of thousands of dollars because you have already spent a few hundred is not sound business thinking.Your damages won't be worth legal action, but citing their missteps for why you should walk with your earnest money seems sound.

Nashville and Bham are the two markets I'm looking at right now to begin investing.I'm looking for work, but haven't found it in my industry (events) so far, so I'm still unemployed.I will be a first-time home buyer with a good credit score, but I don't have a downpayment (that money was spent on my move!).

I always spent a very small portion of what I earned as I am reasonably frugal and relatively financially savvy.

Spent about $100 and got the approvals.Point being, don't be afraid..........especially if you're going to invest in S.

There are blanks and check boxes for who pays for survey, etc and different markets have different customs on who pays.

If not, tell the tenants they can take a tiny slice from the wall (paint only) and if they take it to one of the big box stores, it can be matched so they can pick up a sample to do the touch up. 

My only problem here is the 300k in mortgage payments burning a hole in my pocket before I have a property locked up, which we know in this market, it is very competitive and who knows how long it could take to find the right commercial investment.I'm wondering if any of you have any 'out side of the box' suggestion on how to finagle this HELOC cash as a down payment without first committing to the locked in 30 year FIXED mortgages?