First floor must be occupied and no accessory building can be constructed before the principal residence.  

You might want to look at single families with an ADU (accessory dwelling unit) often called in-laws as your circumstances may be a great fit.

In CA, they finally passed worth while laws starting next year that allow landowners with single family zoning to build ADU’s (accessory dwelling units, AKA guest house) without all the municipalities having the ability to make their own restrictions.

The city of Santa Cruz is relaxing the the requirements surrounding ADU's - see the article linked below: https://patch.com/california/santacruz/city-santa-cruz-updates-accessory-dwelling-unit-ordinanceI am an active investor in this area, feel free to DM me if you would like to chat sometime. 

I would like to move closer to cut down on my commute(at times it can last almost 2 hours if I don't get away early enough from work, its an hour on a good day).My wife and I just got preapproved for a VA loan of $650,000 but will only take out a loan like that if the property can pay for itself.I understand that California has been pushing legislation to encourage homeowners to build an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit). 

I am a full time welder in the oil/gas industry and also currently own a vehicle accessory shop in Fairmont, WV.

You can only have a full kitchen if you have a licensed accessory dwelling unit, which is available only to owner occupants.

While doing this I have began to get my financial house in order as well, and while I am happy with the progress made, I am ready to stop sitting on the sidelines and began my path to FI.I, of course, understand that I will need to be in good standing for a traditional loan and of course to have my reserves ready for when something does go wrong, but I am interested in exploring hard money in order to help get that all coveted first deal.

(e) (1) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive, a local agency shall ministerially approve an application for a building permit within a residential or mixed-use zone to create any of the following:(A) One accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit per lot with a proposed or existing single-family dwelling if all of the following apply:(i) The accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit is within the proposed space of a single-family dwelling or existing space of a single-family dwelling or accessory structure and may include an expansion of not more than 150 square feet beyond the same physical dimensions as the existing accessory structure.

Seller financing with good terms is fairly coveted, & if there were some go to resource (ie if it were easy to find) everyone would be doing it.