I think having this as a 'personal residence' and the partner not getting anything for an unforeseen period makes this a difficult ask.The 'partner' will also be stuck with having this mortgage show up on his credit report/DTI which will hurt his lending power on future deals.

On a small 1930s house do a thorough check on how the house systems were updated, roof, drainage, electric, HVAC, plumbing, etc not just the viewable interior.

The TSP advice is great by the way, I would mention the book "The Simple Path to Wealth" being that you're still young and the compounding power of money and time can only work for you at this point. 

If you have the right 401k or IRA, you can combine those tax benefits with the power of real estate investing.

If you're going all cash, how do you plan to deal with inflation and maintain your purchasing power?"

If the borrower defaults, the lender exercises the power of sale in the security deed, and auctions the property to satisfy the debt.

What are the steps to be taken when a tennant in Tn has violated NEC codes via overloading circuits an daisy chaining strip outlets,permanently using extention cords off a strip,etc in a very unsafe way.Can you evict ...

You can use leverage to increase your buying power. 

We have 45+ pads which are Water, sewer, electric connect ready.

For example, the exterior house could use a good power washing, and also needs a new roof.