However, after driving around for hours I think there's potential for off-market deals.

I was recently laid off from my job and have three issues: 1) No way to get a conventional mortgage 2) Need a place to live, and an advantage: sizeable savings on stock, bonds.I want to start investing in RE (ideally multifamilys), but for now I want to start small: buy a condo to live in, and [whenever I buy a multifamily I could move to] rent it.I would like to evaluate my high-level strategy, and get your comments:* [Soon] Get a "securities line of credit" worth around 15% of my savings.

In NC, when you speak to a potential seller, you are legally required to share with them that you're an agent even if you're there to buy their property or wholesale it off-market.

Someone or multiple people let you down during this process unless you bought it direct from a wholesaler or seller off-market, then you should have known this would happen.You may be able to go direct to the sheriff as this is not an eviction because she is not a tenant and you own the house.

So, both my wife and I are full time W2 employees and are in the 24% tax bracket, and I came across the short-term rental loophole which sounds really amazing for taking write offs and using them to reduce your W2 taxable income, but also equally difficult to qualify for, unless you are within a short driving distance to your property.  

In the end, if you buy it, the title company would use the proceeds from the sale to pay off the mortgages on the property.

This could conceivably really bump up their annual depreciation write off. 

However, they would probably be financially better off selling and using the proceeds to live on.

Talking to residents power has been shut off to the park three times in the last two years while water has been shut off four times- all for non payment by the park. 

Make sure the numbers work and look for off market properties or different booking strategies such as mid term rentals or short term rentals.