You are going to solve the seller's problem by taking over the monthly payments, living in the house and maintaining it until you actually close the purchase of the house.

Will we need looser lending to maintain current price levels, or any additional gains?

@Tilmon Smith Resurrecting an old thread that has maintained its relevance, and perhaps even grown in relevance.ERISA 401k plans covering non-owner employees can certainly be established to invest in real estate.

If you say that the land is worth the value of the land minus the cost of scrapping the homes and maintaining the property (taxes, utilities, dealing with the tenants) while you do it.  

I've decided the best investment for my retirement is one that I will always maintain 100% control of.  

Property taxes are high in Shaker... but they maintain the city very well.... and its a decent to good school system... and the School system just got a new Superintendent and new principal at the High school ... so well see how things workout!

Those items all make for a heating & cooling thermal load that essentially gives you the amount of cooling or heating BTU load required to maintain the occupied area. 

It will go on easy, and best of all it will be easy to maintain!

Nice area and well maintained property.  

It's not that a lender is saying you won't be able to maintain those clients or those level of sales- it's that there's little historical data of you doing this.