So basically, i should try to get paid by a note when closing a sandwich, and only use transactional funding if i have no other choice. 

Bad choices all around; my father was an alcoholic who eventually died in a nursing home from end stage liver disease with his brain totally pickled from this disease.Gail

You have a choice on when to start Unless you have an income problem.  

(Buyer and Lender save money) Seller C may not want to move, however if they go into foreclosure they wont have a choice!  

Strategic decision making is what has brought me success and when strategy reached its maximum potential I had to use what most would call "my gut" or "intuition."

so you have three choices:(1) buy a non-owner occupied property and rent it out (you'll continue living where you are now or somewhere else) (2) buy a multi-fam and live in one unit, rent out the other(s) (3) buy an owner occupied (OO) property and rent out a bedroom do the math on each - with an OO you may qualify for an FHA insured mortgage which should allow for a reduced down payment (perhaps as low as 5%, sometimes lower).

Two choices...the best is to make the buyers be preapproved with a lender the seller/selling agent trusts, making sure they get tax returns, w-2,s, 3 mo.s of bank statements verifying funds, etc.

1) GOOD CHOICE!

Your choice, Burnie.If you do run across a rich person, taxes are killin 'em and they show interest, I guess I would ask if they know anyone interested in passive real estate investing.  

My renter just moved out, so I have the choice of selling it or renting it out for 1100 maybe 1200.