Let me know your thoughts and if anyone has first hand experience. 

I don't personally have tens of thousands in cash on hand for larger down payments (I do though in my TSP/401k), but my dad will have maybe a couple hundred thousand after the sale of his house soon.

And my recent transactions in IOWA thats a whole nother enchilada with their title abstracts literally compiled and handed to the buyers for safe keeping..

Here are my thoughts/questions:-When you say "builder" please give some more background...is this someone who builds a handful of spec homes a year in the area?

@Anthony DiSanzowhy not stay within driving distance to be hands-on? 

I admire that you've handled most of the filings yourself, but I’d prefer to take a more hands-off approach.

Even with very little cash on hand, you can get creative financing; for example, I did my first flip renovation with a new business Credit card one year with 0.00% APR, paid everything back after the sale, and got points and signup bonuses.

They can offer a more hands-off approach while you get your feet wet.

Appreciate if anyone has first hand insight.

**Disclaimer**: Being young, I don't have a lot of responsibility so I am fine with being more hands on now to be able to have more time to spend with family later on.My what: I'm looking to buy small multi-family property to house hack and gain equity quickly over the next few years.