First I would like to apologize (again) if the answer is in plain sight and I just can't find it... 

Self managing is short sighted imo4.

Keep us posted on how these principles are being implemented in your endeavors in Tennessee, as I implement them in Omaha.All the best. 

Eric Martin it's pretty scary buying sight unseen but I did it and many people do it to get started.

@Jeff Overstreet use excess cash flow to pay down principle.

Just don't lose sight of what your end goal is: (which, I'm assuming) cash flow and equity at retirement.

Anyone who claims to specialize in financing for real estate investors should be sensitive to the fact that timeliness is valuable, however even if the way the property were titled were not an issue we were still at the 7 week mark with no close date in sight when the issue came up, TO FINANCE A SINGLE DUPLEX.

Like most cities Nashville can really be street to street in some of the older neighborhoods and if you are investing out of state, sight unseen, (I am assuming here based on the fact you live in Brooklyn) you really have to build a team of people that understand the area and that you can trust to lead you in the right direction. 

I have a couple of properties in my sights..but as so many here at BP say...letting myself be held back by fear. planning to overcome that fear in the next couple months.

If they have a good deal, wholesalers have no problem with cash buyers buying immediately, sometimes sight unseen.