Why would you expect a deposit from your buyers but not expect the seller to want the same thing?

Moreover, the market has been surprised by higher than expected inflation numbers this year.

Getting a STR right outside city limits will probably continue to be an option for the foreseeable future.

There are still deals and we guide investors to look at the future of investing in Reno Tahoe and the strong appreciation. 

More important is the equityMany people will overpay to get a home on seller financing then realize they overpaid and cannot refinance because a lender may want 20% equity which could be a tough hurdle to overcome in the future if prices stay stagnant and you have a balloon in say 5 years.

Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.So, when investing in areas they don’t really know, investors should research the different property Class submarkets.

The earlier you start in your RE journey, the better off you will be in the future. 

But If appreciation is 10% then I may go with 30Y.Also 30YFRM give flexibility because you can always pay like it is 15 years, and second, as the value of the money is decreasing, then.....it's always good to go with longer duration as money going to be cheaper but would create more value in the future in term of wealth creation.Having said that, at most of the time, the longer the duration would be better ....better inflationbetter risk/rewardI am almost about to say I could buy house for the reason of we are having 30Y fixed rate.

Zig Ziglar stated the salesperson's expectations have a direct bearing on the prospect's response so go in to each call with confidence (not cocky) and expect that the other person will want to talk to you. 

For what it's worth, I don't think you should expect your GC to put skin in the game.