HI @Scott Gadea, the answer is:  Save more money ORInvest in a lower cost market Both are methods that people have used for years to generate great amounts of financial stability or wealth, but the latter is a wonderfully efficient arbitrage play AND many would recommend this because of the fact that your home market is a cyclical market and you'd be wise to build assets in linear markets, or at least hybrid markets that blend the benefits of the two.For more information on investing in real estate outside of your home base area, check out David Green's book Long Distance Real Estate Investing

Listed on the MLS, and through my local network of having spoken with the listing agent and seller previously about other properties which may have helped with wanting to work on this together as I'm well versed with multifamily assets and transactions and don't work with unqualified buyers that play games.

@Forrest Faulconer I think there are probably more regional factors at play here.

This will be equity play years down the line as long as cashflow is not negative.

Long term equity play?

It could be your tenant isn't leaving because you're not playing hard-ball.

Playing around with the numbers, I will meet my equity threshold and am still on the fence about holding that property long term due to the market's slow growth.  

Loan to value also plays a factor in pricing. 

Yes you can and on the surface it makes sense but as others outlined there are other factors that come into play.

He thinks of it more of a long term play whereas I do too but also like the idea I could access my $$ if I wanted/needed to.