Cosigner for hire for mortgage?

[Brooke Morton]

I am a first-time investment property buyer, presently jumping through the hoops to prequalify for a mortgage for a potential property (I do already have a mortgage on the house I live in). I am a freelance writer, and some years, the money rolls in, and some years it doesn't. The job is great in that it's allowed me to save up enough for a down-payment on an investment property ... but, the past two years have been lean (I have been choosing fun over making bank). I have a decent credit score and the capital, but I now it looks like I need a cosigner.

I have asked my dad, who said maybe. My father is slightly misogynistic, and he doesn't believe I have the brains or the guts to take this on.

My options at this point seem to be:

1) Move forward with my father. Treat it like business. Don't let it be personal. Smile and jump through hoops until I get the signature (my only fear here is that I don't want him to be able to get his hands on the property in any way. I don't trust him to stay out of things ... so, not sure how much access to the property he would have if his signature is on the mortgage?)

2) Make bank this year and wait until 2020 to buy. This year has been off to a tremendous start, and so far, it looks like I might pull in three times what I did last year, so I may qualify for a duplex or triplex on my own.

3) Find a cosigner for hire ... Is there such a thing? I thought I heard this on a podcast, but at the time, I didn't think I'd need this, so of course, I paid zero attention to which episode that was ...

4) Or, I could add an ADU onto my current property lot. This is maybe the least appealing to me, but it least it gets me in the game ... and I love action and movement and making things happen.

So, what should I do? 

Any advice much appreciated!