My personal protection is something I seem to be hung up on (perhaps some analysis paralysis is in play), so really ANY information regarding these options would be greatly appreciated.

I would say 4-6% with a loan and paying high title fees.Once you start playing with cash and have squeezed title companies you should be down to 2%.

That used to be the normal thing a lot of people did but since Dodd Frank and the Safe Act came into play your not allowed to do deals like that anymore.  

Electric company believes the tenant may have removed to turn on the power, damaged the box, and disposed of.

@Ryan Herald  Ya I screw up on the rules all the time.. yes you need to have a pro account I believe and put an add in Market place.but friends and family would be a great play for this... 300k is not much to raise on a 3 mil buy..

This is a trust tax designed to level the playing field so that tax-exempt entities do not drive taxpaying business out of business when they substantially act like a comparable commercial business.Because of this tax impact, flipping houses in an IRA may not be as lucrative as most folks think since the common assumption is that everything an IRA does is wholly tax-exempt.  

After a few months of playing phone tag and emailing contracts to someone who didn't want to give me the time day, my phone rings, "she" was finally what we call "motivated to sell"!

Using a self directed IRA is a diversification play for the IRA.  

So safer playing field if that's your cup of tea.So  really the question is where can you get the best numbers , to match what you want to accomplish.

The seller told us while under contract that he feels like he probably had under played the price of the house based on the flood of calls to see it.