Equity, savings, will have a great degree soon!

Costs can vary significantly.

I live in Florida, but statutes make me have to have a degree of seasoning before being considered the owner by the time of the sale.

The differences in Building costs can vary so much, you may eventually want to get a commcercial contractor to estimate what they would charge to rebuild the structure as a backup.

You can shift numbers that vary per market when you change markets.

As mentioned, I have one tenant in the medium sized room and I'm in the master bedroom (fl 3) in the same unit currently, which has a supply and a return and heats up just fine.Measuring the temperatures with central heat on a cold day at 70 degrees on the thermostat it can heat the medium br to 65 and the living room to 68.

@Shelly Scruggs it varies by state and by city so here is the Maryland law I found as this seems to be the best article on it:https://www.peoples-law.org/security-depositsIf the property is in Baltimore also check if there are any city-specific rules for security deposits.

There is little homogeneity to commercial real estate when you leave the NNN single tenant arena...and even then, markets in the single tenant arena vary wildly.  

I also pick up a few lower end condos/townhouses every year or two until I get to 30, which is my current goal.Professionally, I have a law degree and I am a licensed CPA and licensed Florida real estate  agent so I combine my personal and professional experience to practice full time as a Qualified Intermediary in all 50 states.

Credit will vary by situation.