@Ethan Piani having that much money at 24 saved up is amazing!

Most land flippers know how to evaluate the option for seller financing, but are you asking because you like the strategy or because you don't have money to buy land? 

Is there anything wrong with making this deal now without the realtors saving the money on their commissions?  

When I budget for maintenance, cap ex, and vacancy I take money from all income rents and put it into one pot that I manage.

(I heard that 1% - 2% of the purchase price is ideal).Where does the earnest money go, when all is said and done?

Never buy a property without putting your eyes on it, if you are spending htat much money get on a plane or in the car and view the property yourself.

I could raise money and bring in partners, but I'd prefer to own 100% of both the business and the real estate.

If anyone is currently investing with this company or know more about it, please comment below or PM me because I don't want to jump into anything that would cause me to lose money. 

The pros: - not having to do a major renovation from out of state- easier to get a conventional loan since the house is livable vs. a distressed property (would need to pay cash, do a hard money loan, some other type of financing)- can get a tenant in quicklyThe cons: - you don't know how good the renovation is, could be cosmetic without addressing underlying safety issues (plumbing, electrical, foundation, etc). - a home can pass an inspection but once someone is living in it and putting daily stress on the house (turning faucets on, light switches, turning on heat/AC etc), things can start to malfunction.

In your case, since you are using your own money, then you should build out what you want to see.