@Rhonda WilsonYour advice to Bernard is totally off for two reasons:1) IRS rules do not permit IRA funds to be invested in life insurance:https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-pl...2) And two, I totally agree with @Steve Vaughan that insurance policy as an investment is very poor choice for the reasons he described. 

I did a 1031 exchange earlier this year and bought into one of each.I considered buying a NNN property directly, but was told that I'd probably have to spend $2.5-$3M to get anything of decent quality with a strong tenant.I am happy with the choice I made.http://www.rockwelltic.com/

I wanted to get some thoughts from others about what upgrades you have found to be the most beneficial for a rental.

What matters is what is agreed to in writing ( whether you read no words, some of the words, all of the words is a choice you made before signing the contract).

We use Jill with 1st choice and she has treated us very well.  

Nice choice by the way!

The Vanguard SP 500 index ETF (VOO, i believe)  is a decent choice - it has solid historical returns and low fees.

The previous owner said they expect they will have no other choice but to foreclose, and they have no experience with doing that.I also went to the town hall and checked, and yes, the property taxes haven't been paid on the property either, starting with 2015.  

It may also be worth holding off until you’ve saved up as this can be a more financially sound decision for your future.There are a number of benefits to not putting money down on your home and getting into the real estate market more quickly, but it’s important to consider what’s financially beneficial for you before choosing a zero-down option.

I can think of a whole host of 'USPs' pertaining to WHY one might want to consider a 'lease option,' vs. simply because they have no other choice!