You've thought it all out, so maybe the 15% down will help you sleep better?

I haven't found deals that are any better than what I can get from the regular carriers; I am in Tennessee. 

Apparently Keller Williams Agency has a relationship with MyOutDesk so the VA's do have some real estate exposure through the course of their regular work, vs. having to train them from the ground up.

Taking advantage of grief, turmoil, financial distress.Essentially, I would sleep better at night knowing I had negotiated with someone who was on an equal footing.

Track everything you do and view that regularly so you can tell what you can do to earn more income and reduce expenses.

I've been getting into the habit of watching podcasts & reading blog posts on a regular basis.I'm still very green and it won't be a for a few years before I actually decide to start my real estate investing journey.  

I'm almost considering option 3, just put a regular door lock that I then replace it before closing (leaving it clear to buyers that the lock is NOT included).

I do all of our marketing in office, I own a call center that takes calls for other investors, and I regularly close/am involved in deals.

Can anyone chime in on their experience with a tenant occupied public auction, where they may be paying rent regularly to the owner, but the owner let it go to foreclosure?

Then you could claim the rest of the flips each year as dividends & just pay regular income tax (~30-35%).