It's all about the time value of money and security of future payments.

If a end buyer puts up the cash to build will I be deeding the land to them and taking back a mortgage to secure my equity?

Today was a great day, I got my first deposit from my first rental unit.  Wow, this is great, time to start looking for another property.

I've done hundreds.Mark,Great insight shared above, thank you.Now, as an exercise, a hypothetical question that might help someone in the OP positions: if the OP (buyer) were to loan the heir (unprobated heir seller) a personal loan with a security guarantee of her interest in the unprobated estate (including the real estate) and then filed the personal loan in a UCC filing and also against the persons credit and filed a notice against the property with such claim guarantee then would that proactive action help the buyer to fight off potential other investors who maybe circling the wagon?

After being unsuccessful in securing funding for some deals my partner decided to quit.

Is there a certain amount of cash flow that you want to achieve coupled with your consulting earnings and social security, are you looking for capital preservation, are you looking to continue to build wealth to hand it down to your children, relatives and charity, or all of the above?

I have an existing  Note (Note 1) secured by a deed of trust in California on a  SFR (property 1).The borrower has agreed to bring in additional property  (Property 2)as a collateral  after Note 1 is completed  as a cross collateral.I will be recording a deed of trust as a cross collateral on property 2. 

I've got several deals lined up but don't want to close on them without knowing I can sell the contracts after they've been secured.

I’d ask you to pay first, last and security for another similar apartment and pay the moving expenses, and I think that’s being VERY reasonable.

If you use it for any personal expenses it will not be deductible.Interest on a loan from a 401k plan which is secured by elective contributions is never deductible.