That;s an option as long as you have the proper down payment.

What, if any, are the potential risks with this scenario, or can these risks be addressed by a properly written lease agreement with a buyout option?

Of the last 10 small multis (4 or less) in SEATTLE proper, they are not positive on equity/cashflow for 5 years.

I've been communicating with a bunch of realtors inquiring about properties i see on the MLS and i feel like i'm all over the place not taking the proper steps to get to my goal. 

You can definitely do it but you're going to want to find a mentor you can trust to help you and to make sure you're doing everything properly.

Hello David - I'm considering that the original posts are a year old, not sure if you'll get any bites from previous posters, but I did see your post so I'll respond :) I don't run FB Ads as an investor, but Digital Marketing is what I do for a living so I can tell you that online marketing CAN work when done properly, and Facebook isn't the only way to get leads.

When done properly, these can be very safe: closer to a bond than a typical real estate investment.

If you decide to look out of state let me know, you do need to know about potential hurdles to set yourself up properly.

Hard to say without knowing your budget, skills, and goals.If you are wanting us to randomly throw out effective strategies, here is one ... if LA proper is too expensive and too competitive for you, then go East young man ...

You Can ask that the dog has proper proof of vaccinations,, and you could ask that they carry additional insurance for their pet and proof of that..