Anything that seems amiss like someone who needs to close from out of the country, anyone needing to close quickly or insisting on a cash purchase, pricing that is out of whack with fair market value for a property, anything off market, anyone sending the wrong amount of money (one fraud is to send more money than they should, then ask for the difference back, the money going to them is good but the money they sent is not), any buyer that makes an offer sight-unseen, or seller who can't meet at the property or doesn't want a sign at the property, anything that seems "off". 5.

Find out what your SS will be and have either enough cash to cover the lack of that or work a little to compensate for the lack of SS until you can collect.This assumes you can live off your income w/o your W2 when you start collecting.

Kensington is a great area—very trendy and close to the restaurant district off Colley Ave.

I have a good opportunity with an off-market deal that is currently exclusive to me.

Right now competition is lower because buyers are scared off due to what they perceive as higher rates.

Can you refi after it is closed after sometime and pay off the mortgage with funds?

Right now I think rate would be around 8% if you start off with most banks and lack connection.

We used the debt snowball to pay off 10 houses and then borrowed against them at 50% DTI and bought a STR. 

I specialize in off-market properties and currently have a portfolio of options available in North Carolina.

BiggerPockets happens to have a book on the topic written by yours truly--it's available here:  https://store.biggerpockets.com/products/the-hands-off-inves...