@Bill F. my example was somewhat hypothetical but a reality I am currently facing, and no, there were no major shifts in the dynamics, simply baseless optimism and this has been the case across the board in my area.

Force me to get the keys or sale the, could be a regular sale or s short sale.

Andres,Don’t give her a dime until she is out, it’s broomswept and she gives you the keys.

I see a house in my city that appears to be abandoned, the doors and windows have been shut up with steel panels for months and the pool has been boarded up as well. 

.- single family homes have higher % appreciation over townhomes- single family homes have generally more maintenance then townhomesThose are just some key points that at least i look at when considering my next investment property.With your price range however, it might be harder to get single family home in a good location.Hope that helps!

He changed his mind an was not on board with the house hacking idea, and has no ambition towards financial independence and would be perfectly happy drowning in debt living the “American dream”.

He changed his mind an was not on board with the house hacking idea, and has no ambition towards financial independence and would be perfectly happy drowning in debt living the “American dream”.

You'll get a greater ROI if you are hands on but it will also take up more of your time: visits to your investment area, finding reliable "boots on the ground", managing the process from afar...Personally I'd be looking at the full turn-key experience where you pay a bit more for the property but it is ready to go and you can enjoy getting the return on your investment.

You may need to offer cash for keys or start the eviction process if you have the foreclosure deed in hand from Sheriff’s Office.

But still simply exchanging into a property with identical cash flow and all would net you more each month.The key of course is that you do it without triggering a recognition of gain.