David,You can also use a personal loan which is generally easier and goes up to $50K. 

Then you have a person in that market if you get an investor deal.

Interesting, you do the in person follow up after they agree to terms? 

House-hacking today often has to rely on much greater lifestyle sacrifice than what I personally did 10 years ago, and requires strategies that would make me uncomfortable like rent by the room, or using local laws that allow Short-Term rental only for owner-occupants. 

I personally use a broker for my properties so they can shop around, unlike Allstate.

They have no income, so they can't refi or HELOC to use their equity for their personal expense.

No doubt someone else is going to bid.

I'm also looking at properties in Alabama and Indiana, but haven't pulled the trigger yet due to personal complications. 

At 65 personally I'd want debt paid down or gone but it's not bad to add some more properties.

It has a very nice bath tub that is of high importance to us personally.