The only hope for keeping the Portland house is a gamble on equity and rising home prices.

The dilemma:About a year or so into our newlywed life, we realized that my chosen career wouldn’t allow us to spend much time with my side of the family on the other side of the world.

For myself, I'm just too busy these days with little kids so I've chosen to work with a turnkey company - Rent to Retirement - and have been very happy.

I mean not only is it a gamble to not fix right away but it also tarnishes your reputation as well.

You can buy this and lose $3k per month while hoping the market continues to rocket to the moon, but that's gambling.

I could do that In the stock market or go to Vegas and gamble.  

I have never purchased via seller finance before, but the seller is motivated to get her IRS issue cleaned up -- roughly $31K.I know this is a risky proposition on the $10K, but I think I am willing to gamble on this to give us enough time to work through pay-off arrangements with IRS if it is the best way to keep control of the property until we can get to clean title.

You are gambling that home prices will continue to move up with a new family member coming and leaving after next year leaving a home run by itself.My nephew and his wife both MD paid by ROTC USAF captains bought a 4900 sf home on 2.5 ac in Boulder, CO.

unless you plan on never selling which of course most investors that start in this that's the second thing out of their mouths first thing is appreciation is gambling.. second is we are long term never going to sell.. 

Starting your own business is a huge gamble, most fail quickly.....The only RE I ever did that was 'relatively easy'  is STRs....but still, high risk, hard work, all day every day.....