MA landlord laws and climate are so challenging that I would think that would tip the balance for buy and hold in favor of RI.

debt service, $ resale costs with enough room left over for profit and margin for error.Resale costs for me at this price point average just under 6.5%, and the balance of the costs rarely exceed an amount to bring the profit below a 15% of sold price profit margin.

Also, try to get balances to be a smaller percentage of your credit limits.

@Amanda Young -My biggest way to balance kids sports activities and investing right now is an iPad with a data plan for researching properties and addressing email during the time I wait at practices.

I'm struggling with being optimistic and thinking/planning for the best and balancing that with a realization that things like this are going to happen

Are you including a personal Profit and Loss Statement or a balance sheet? 

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Even if you had zero experience, with only a 50% loan to acquisition costs and you covering all rehab, I would be in a very safe position, even if you screwed up.So, I would likely work it like this: You place your entire $125k into escrow, I place balance in to close.

You then collect information from the note holder such as the sale price, down payment, note amount, interest rate, term, date of first payment, number of payments made, number of payments remaining, current balance, property type, address, owner occupied or not?

Balance out the pros and cons.