Would you be comfortable seeing your name in the newspaper headlines claiming you were cheating homeowners out of tens of thousands of dollars? 

They just don’t see enough of these deals to feel comfortable with them.That said, I’ve had more luck with smaller regional banks and credit unions.. especially those that cater to higher-net-worth individuals.

It's like having 20 cars in a garage, all in good shape with maintenance records and all, and calling a local dealer's shop asking for a trade-in value on one of them, while I can comfortably put it on cars.com and sell it to highest bidder or take it off the market if I can't get the top retail dollar on it.

and how much you can afford / would be comfortable with is up to you and your lender.on Idaho - that's exactly what I am talking about, picking a place where you have friends and connections, rather than throwing a dart at the cheapest places in the US. 

I would look at real comps, and if your exit strategy is to flip in a few years, it may be a problem if you paid more than the market will give you.If you're looking to hold and are comfortable with the tenant, then I would consider itGino

What is it that you ask that gives you comfort?

I've found its pretty hard for folks to get comfortable with a purchase out of state if they haven't seen the general areas that they think they'd like to buy in.While I love where your heads at - best thing you can do right now is likely focusing on saving cash, REI education, paying off loans, and enjoying your last year of school!

I mean its not good enough for me to leave the comfort of my backyard here in BCS :)

Get out of your comfort zone.

I'm still working full time and I'm not comfortable doing a flip so far away yet.