This forum description references hardware, so I figured this was a good place to ask if anyone has heard of the Flo water meter (they're still in beta testing). It monitors water flow and can detect leaks based on ch...

The property is under your control but you're not on title yet.  

I would not go 30 years to do a wrap. 2nd is that YOU are in control of the mortgage without having your name on it.Show the seller the benefits of getting some cash and he goes away.

If it's in an area where owners want to live and you're competing with buyers that create an emotional attachment to a home (and thus will pay for it) it can be tough to find what you're looking for.  

@David: Good point about not letting emotions get in the way (although hard to persuade wife to potentially move away from our current house given the hassle for her hahaha).

And then there's the annual rent increase, which can be substantial if you're not living in a rent controlled unit (like when my rent went up $200 after they did some major upgrades throughout the [224 unit] property including a new redwood deck for my unit). 

Hi @Rae Edwards,If your employer instructs you to leave the area/country for a while or you lose your job, that isn't something you could reasonably control or anticipate, so you're fine. :)The people that get jammed up, for the most part, are the ones that flagrantly never "intended" to live there, and never moved in at all.

Be in control of what is happening.  

Learn the skills to control real estate first without the need of a large amount of money.

My goal of course is to get it as cheap as possible and even though this may be a business for the seller, they still may be driven in part by emotion and their desire to not lose money on the deal.