Best way to stretch a settlement

[David Ruskey]

First I would like to say Hello BiggerPockets Community! I have been doing a lot of research into real estate recently due to losing my job due to Covid, but I'm not sure how much I will be able to do based on lack of income. My beautiful wife was awarded a settlement, which we plan to use to buy a SFR as a primary. We have been looking at sheriff sales in order to get a good deal.
My question is, once I outright own a home, what’s the best way to leverage the value of that home to buy an investment property without a current income.