I spent the last 2 years in Japan playing.  

You literally have to think about AirBnb and your home, because paying $25K/yr property taxes + a mortgage on a $800K home makes zero economic sense.You think this is bad, wait until we have pods on the street like scooters, and bicycles like Japan.

I'm currently stationed in Okinawa, Japan but would like to also invest in the Columbia/Sumter area if those realtors work with members OCONUS.

I'm also not necessarily local since I currently live in Japan, but I plan to keep investing in Iowa for the long run. 

Im on business in Japan at the moment but will be in touch when i get a second..

I am currently living in Japan but just got to the D.C.

Did a search and found out that they are a company don't know if they told you they were from Japan, I think you said they said they were from the UK so there's an eyebrow raiser and the name differs;  but they are real and have been in Bloomberg Business week, so go figure.SnapshotPeopleCompany OverviewPhoenix Capital Co., Ltd. is a private equity firm which specializes in leveraged buyouts, management buyouts, turnarounds, mezzanine, and debt-equity swap investments.

This thing might drag out for another 10 years just like what happened in Japan.

If I were investing in France or Japan (countries where I don’t speak the native language) then the burden to make sure I understand the necessary contracts and wording would be on me as well as any necessary additional costs to make sure I did understand.

So with that in mind agree that having the cash on hand is probably the better move and provides more options moving forward - I just saw the amount I could save on monthly interest payments and got excited, however you can't look at investments in just that manner.My situation is a bit of a unique one as I live in Japan and am speaking with local banks in the greater Boston area (where I'm from and often back to visit) for a building in California - thus the low LTV offers.