What particular neighborhoods to you find most suitable for buy and holds?

Interestingly, there have been several BPO's done, with walk through and everything, and the highest, and most recent value came in at ~580K.The failed Short Sale was actually approved by the servicer for $480K.I suspect this has to do with the Non-Performing status of the mortgage, my mother's age, and Massachusetts being a tenant/occupant friendly state.I had to terminate the arrangement of this Short Sale when I finally acquired unbiased legal/realty counsel, and realized that the sizable return (700K - 475K = 225K) would not only be an act of fraud for us to receive, but that the buyer was likely misleading us into thinking we would get this money.Since then, I really started doing my research, and am very interested in pursuing Real Estate Investing thanks to all of the hard lessons I've learned.I organized an off market pool of cash investors, and showed the house and took offers. 

When you go out of your area, you have to be particularly keen to choose an on the ground team that you can rely on to look after your interests. 

Originally posted by @Russell Brazil:Every state except Texas (I think) sales price is public record.I don't know about the other 49 states, but you are 100% correct, Texas is a non disclosure state on sales price for property. 

Lease terms are non-negotiable.

I am particularly interested in multi-family properties if you have any of those.Good luck and maybe I'll see you at the meeting.Chris BungeColdwell BankerColumbia SC

Too many people just do non-owner occupied, or maybe non-owner occupied high equity.

Anyone ever gift property to a non-profit.

@Mateusz SkibaIf you are occupying your primary residence and don’t plan to move to the next property, you will need 20% or more down since that will be a non owner occupancy investment property.FHA loans are for owner occupancy only, not for investment properties.

@ Nick Brosco, like Kevin Romines said, it sounds like a misinformed loan officer, or possibly that that particular lender has more restrictive rules that they impose on top of Fannie/Freddie guidelines.