I think this is a calculation a lot of homeowners are making right now--especially if they have a low interest mortgage, equity, and their house will cashflow as a rental.The choice is a personal one of course, but I think your future self will thank you if you pull out some equity from your existing home with a HELOC for the downpayment on the next house and a cushion renting your current home, use a property manager as you have other things to do, and buy the next house and do the same thing again.

I personally believe his contract job contract got cancelled as i know others from his company left that same week. 

Investment Info:

Single-family residence buy & hold investment.

Purchase price: $172,000

Cash invested: $43,000

We purchased this rehabbed home and added a privacy fence, removed overhanging tree...

You would be better off putting money into a fund that performs at 6% to 8% somewhere with appreciation. 

Personally, I’ve been exploring opportunities where growth patterns and infrastructure expansion hint at future value increases.

You could always get the extended warranty and still save money over the 3k model.

I do have an agent I know personally but she's only in the area at certain times of the year.Section 8 would be better than nothing.

ONly money spent securing the house against waste.

(I also don't understand how you have a hard money loan with a rate of 7.25%...)offering an equity position that you then buy out in just a few years seems like way too much complexity and risk when you say you just need 30K. 

If they aren't sending you personalized investment deals that meet your buying criteria, they are NOT a good agent!