In terms of your options above, number 2 would not be allowed in your IRA because you cannot use IRA money for only your down payment on a property.

They mention how much they hustle but not the accuracy of their remodel projections in terms of both time, quality, and money.Also, we must all realize that most the players that tried to play this game and lost all their chips don’t stick around BP forums to tell their story.  

In terms of experience, I have done 1 flip, own 2 condo and 1 SFH rental and have bought and sold a few properties I lived in personally over the years.

From my reading and understanding, it's best to understand what kind of loans I'm able to get, then see about options in terms of rental properties and such.

The key is to work the outside and inside at the same time as long as it makes sense in terms of the scope.

In terms of timeframes, are you referring to the last 3 to 6 months or years +?  

If you're looking in the city their should be much more in terms of nearby recent sales of comparable properties.

- How often are they named in lawsuits (check court records)- What do they bake into their builds that the average consumer won't ask or care about, simply because they are build-nerds (in terms of energy efficiency, structural integrity, etc).

Confirm that the provider has experience with the particular investments in which you intend to invest your retirement funds as you very likely will have questions in terms of the mechanics (e.g. how do you invest in real estate, etc.).4.

If not, is there an alternative mortgage option that is attractive (in terms of down payment, or interest rate) for such a scenario?