The best way to explaining this is for you to download an IRR calculator spreadsheet or build your own simple one and play around with one.

That may have played a role in their willingness. 

I subscribed to the podcast on Google Play and started listening came to the conclusion this where I need to be to learn.

Also, no matter how eager you are to act in RE, It’s a big playing field.

Once you learn the basics stil keep learning and tweaking but prioritize your time investment into what brings the biggest - percent likelyhood of successful payout- volume of payment vs the riskWhen I ran a large call center I compared it playing money ball with time.

But compare that with the fear over years of a misstep that costs you the deferral in an opportunity fund play. 

If you try to get it for the loan balance, to me, one of two things is at play here. 1) you are ripping them off or 2) they are incapacitated somehow and incapable of negotiating a contract.

If you buy an investment property in the mid 350s you would want an appreciation play. 

Is there any other factors you would put into play that I might be missing?

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.