Would it be in the stock market that you and I can't control, giving your money to the insurance company and have your earnings eroded by high commissions or invest in alternative asset such as real estate (BTW, you don't have to be the owner of physical real estate, you can be a private lender so your loan is secured by real estate, you can buy tax lien, invest in a syndication, private placement or note fund).

I don’t want to read through hundreds of posts to find the answer to a simple topic such as “What kind of security camera system do other investors like?”

If you secure financianing after winning, all I can say is make sure the lender has some experience with auctions and the type of properties you are looking at.4.

Take first, last and security if you can and try to get a parent or co-signer if needed.

@Abe SampsonYes, both must meet the use test.It's possible but you have to meet the requirements (job change, certain health-related events, or other unforeseeable events) - see Publication 523 for more info and search for the section titled "Does Your Home Qualify for a Partial Exclusion of Gain?".

Should I focus on securing the down payment from Investors first?

@Gregory A.The following IRS publication is a good source for the ROTH TSP distribution rules. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p721.pdfHowever, I would first transfer the ROTH TSP to a ROTH IRA since ROTH IRA distributions are not subject to the mandatory 20% withholding at time of the distribution.

Craig,It appears you can get online access in Multnomah County, but an account setup fee might be required to see the scanned doc that are public record.https://multco.us/recording/research-online

@Jenifer Levini  I won't say more than that on a public forum. 

I have a question about closing costs...I've reached out to 4 lenders and secured pre-approvals with each to compare their rates, fees, etc.For a 25% down payment with 1 point on a $200,000 investment property, they're estimating closing costs between $7000 and $8000 (which includes prepaids, insurance, etc.).