It's an unscientific way of reading the market and trying the forecast but it's interesting to hear a viewpoint.

Matt, My suggestion is going FHA, allows you to purchase the property honestly as a primary residence, allowing you to get the best rates, low down payment, finance the FHA MIP on top of the purchase.

You can operate honestly.

To be honest I was going to let it go if hadn't bled into January's rent as well and chalk it up to a $450 lesson learned.

Honestly I think this is a good thing.  

Honestly, I want to have my own investment property and feel this will give me some experience.

There are better cash flow properties on the south side, but honestly I don't want to buy in an area that I am not comfortable driving at night in.Any thoughts or pieces of advice are greatly appreciated.Thanks,Faisal

How hard is it to find honest/trustworthy "boots on the ground?"

If they honestly can get more listing it and they'd no urgency to sell yesterday- give them a referral to a good realtor. 

We did have to pay for an appraiser and pay for the home owners fees as the process was going by but I honestly feel that these small financial necessities were worth and hassle or issues that we would have had to make if we had not donated.