@Robert Harmon I think it's all about personal risk tolerance.  

Begin creating a policy book do that you make your decisions based on your policy, not on situation.

My policy is that rent is due on the 1st.

. :)First, your decisions are going to be based on an additional number of variables including your job requirements, how much time you actually have to put into your pursuit, your personality profile, risk tolerance, etc.  

My feeling is if you are not confident enough in a deal to put you name on the line for a recourse loan it probably; isn't a very good deal, you don't know enough about the deal or market to be  making the deal, or you don't have the risk tolerance to be in real estate at all. 

Someone from Texas could explain how much per pier etc...I estimated double in the long run as compared to non clay soil types with basically zero maintenance.

Any loan you want to take against the whole life policy is secured with the policy values, which are restored when the loan is paid off.

I got it into "livable" (tolerable) condition and worked my freakin butt off with sweat equity. one paycheck at a time I would buy a little more.

I do deals nationally, but focus on PA/NJ and the 5 boroughs of ny and floridaThat means everything from SFR and MFR rentals through to the Zero.

Most brokerages have policies on how much you charge, etc.