I dont hit home runs all the time. i buy on average 4 properties a month here and 1 out of ten I lose money and 1 out of 10 I hit a grand slam.

I tried that for a while and it was just weird for me, I like to just grab the grand and if they do not close, I am at least 1k ahead.

Have the seller do an owner carry for the few grand until you can pay it back.

I am a STR investor who currently owns two properties in East Tennessee (Smoky Mountains) and I am seeking property in the Nashville area since my son and wife live in Brentwood (south Nashville) and a grand baby on the way.  

Judging by the grab bars and other paraphernalia, this likely happened when the last lady of the house grew to frail to navigate the grand staircase to the master suite on the second floor.  

Those of us who are high income engineers/programmer sorts most likely live in major cities like Seattle, Austin, SFBA, Chicago, etc where you're either in several grand a month for a downtown studio or paying that same several grand to own an old home in the suburbs 12-30 miles from downtown (like myself).

I think I had a couple grand for emergency money and told him no. 

I pay 10% of monthly rents...Reserves-I personally keep $3-5k per property (<$150k properties) because things will go wrong and they may not wait for year 2 after you've saved a couple grand from your maintenance or capex budget.

Probably saved 3 grand in time and materials.

This is the Largest Assignment Fee of my career so far, Its a GRAND SLAM!