This is more of a curiosity/poll: do you prefer to buy houses in low income areas for the cheap houses you can buy, knowing you'll rent to S8 and get part-guarantee on your cash, or even just thinking you're doing good for a community by being a real landlord where there are otherwise a bunch of scum?

That could be as big as you wanting to scale up buying and one of your partners wanting to dial it back, or as small as you wanting to invest in a certain area and one of your partners preferring a different area.

While we do have cash saved up, we'd prefer to work on our credit for another year before looking at getting a mortgage or commercial loan to possibly do a fix and flip.If you were us, would you a) use our cash to purchase, fix and flip something older and cheaper outright which seems like a huge undertaking for our first deal, b) use our cash as the downpayment/skin-in for a hard money loan (balloon) while we work on conventional qualifications to refi at a lower rate in 12 months, c) My in-laws are in the process of purchasing a seller-financed home and are interested in "renting-to-own" their place to us.

Finders fees for a RE sale for non licensed individuals is illegal in most states.

You may be able to joint venture with other IRAs or other individuals as a couple other ideas. 

There is also a certain type of investor who prefers turn key with management in place. 

Preferably one with investment experience.

When individuals move to the DMV area from other parts of the country it can be hard for them to understand that multis just dont exist here like they do in other areas of the country. 

Hi @Lauren GilliardYes I prefer a new LLC.

@Dakota Soles Of course investing locally should be your first preference if all things are equal but if you can't achieve your objectives in your local market, then you have no choice but to go outside of it.