If you got diddly-squat for financial capacity, there is a lot of risk of something going bad during operation of the property.

I was able to become financially independent in 2 years with two properties.

That's why your having difficulty getting any valuation from a bank.

(Due to some financial issues with him in the past, I'm not willing to cosign for him)  Would a rental agreement with the roommates suffice? 

My end game is to show you a path to financial independence, whether that be at 45 yrs old or 70 yr old.  

I’d love to learn from all of you, connect with like-minded people, and eventually achieve financial freedom together! 

I am a newbie in this realm and looking forward to learning all I can in this endeavor of becoming financially independent.

Retain a cash reserve to cover vacancies or downturns, and align with your long-term goals by consulting a financial advisor.

On the business management side, I've invested roughly $10k into the systems for financial and operations through courses and consultants.A great Facebook group I'd recommend Remodelers Community -- I know it says remodelers but this group has a resource called the "remodelers vault" where members have pitched in their resources like contracts, cash flow trackers, QC checklists and more that are invaluable starting out as a residential GCBest of luck, you got this

@Greg StrunakA good real estate accountant can save you thousands of dollars by leveraging entity selection and formation, tax deductions, cost segregations, bonus depreciation and tax planning.I recommend finding an accountant who specializes in real estate taxation, business taxation, financial planning and tax planning.You may want to consider working with your accountant remotely to expand your options.I would also recommend looking for a accountant willing to work with you throughout the year.