Right the MMI on FHa is now for life if you put less than 10% down but realistically only maybe 2% of people using FHA put more than 3.5% down unless its for a strategic reason.If you have superb credit I would recommend you use 5% down payment and payoff the MI through whats called single premium lender paid mortgage insurance this is done by raising the rate high enough to absorb the mortgage insurance for instance instead of 4.75% you can opt for 5.125% and it will pay for the MI off for the rest of the life of the loan, or you can keep 4.75% but pay the SPMI in cash, or pay the stereotypical method of monthly mortgage insurance.If you're going from FHA to FHa refi thats a different story (streamline FHA refi).

I'm interested in getting ideas/clarification for the best way to buy and hold properties with some equity, with motivated sellers. Some might be have lis pendens or notice of default.

The goal is to get a ...

What's the best way you have found to meet contractors, who know the rehab business and,more importantly,the pricing structure we need to have a successful rehab?

I am a small investor with limited business structure to date.

How can I structure a deal using my wifes old employer 401k to make this deal happen?

Have you used that method in the past?

My question is this, if you wanted to use private money as a source for a buy and hold investment, how would you structure the deal?

One other method that I have used is to call several of the local Property Management companies, explain to them you are potentially buying a property in the area, and ask them what they get in the properties they manage.

I look at things this way, if a tenant has renters insurance and the owner has homeowners insurance in the event your home burns down the tenant isn't placing a claim on on the structure and getting a paid for it.

Another great book that could help you figure out which tasks could be assigned to VA's is "The E-Myth Revisited".The premise of the book is to help you structure your business to work "on" your business instead of "in" your business.