The builders got ahead of us down there; we beat them in AZ.

If the numbers still makes sense as an investment, then I'd go ahead and move in, otherwise you could end up in a place of "I really want to move out of here but I can't because the property will start losing money" and that's just not a good position to be in. 

@John Lopez thank you for the offer of further assistance -- if things move ahead with any of these properties, I'll likely take you up on your offer.

I’ve purchased a few properties before seeing the quality of rehab being provided and regret not visiting and meeting the contractor who completed the work ahead of time. 

It seems to me that the owner should consider a short sale but would be ecstatic if you went ahead with this deal.

If I'm able to purchase another house at the end of this year it puts me 7 1/2 YEARS ahead of schedual. 

Our running joke: land sellers are the first to raise prices and keep raising AHEAD of the market in a market up cycle, and the last to lower prices (and maybe never) in a down cycle.

My goal is to purchase my first property this year and am diving headfirst into learning as much as I can ahead of my first trial run. 

So go ahead and talk to people, or better said listen to them if they open up the door and offer to help them buy the property from the bank through a short sale and maybe rent it back to them on affordable terms. 

Target the first group next year- these are the ones that plan ahead and tend to be great tenants.