Creative Financing" can mean a lot of different things depending on who you're talking with. 

Additionally, keep in mind if you do this in a Roth then there are NO taxes on the appreciation, rental income or profits when the Roth liquidates the asset. 

My experience is the min is around 15%, but I've read some posts on BP that some lenders can offer a lower minimum (but that usually means a higher interest rate).

You might get these days 60% leverage so you'll likely need 40% down payment plus reserves and the financial institutions will want you to keep those capital reserves in their institution.If you are a new investor, there's a couple of opportunities to get started. 

"Good about deductions" sounds a lot like "doesn't make enough money to be a homeowner", so he should keep renting from someone else, and you should do what you're going to do with the money and wisdom you earned.Of course I don't know your son, but I think this is too dicey and you are too close to the situation.  

Please keep those posts in the Classifieds forum.Need a spreadsheet or form?

Land is only good if you have a warchest to immediately turn it from dirt to cashflow or sale so keep this in mind when you're going forward.

, I really need to keep it simple and minimize risk since I live abroad.

It needs to be a 30 day notice so I’ll to keep her for all of March.

Good luck and keep moving forward!