How to Structure the Deal to Protect Your $20KIf you’re willing to cover the $20K arrears, here’s how to protect yourself:Option 1: Secure Your Funds with a Lien or Escrow AgreementUse an escrow account: Deposit the $20K into escrow with clear terms—if the assumption is denied, the funds return to you.Record a promissory note & lien: If the deal falls through, this would give you a legal claim against the property to recover your funds.Option 2: Sub-To + Wrap While You AssumeSubject-to deal: Take over the existing loan payments before assumption approval, securing control.Escrowed deed transfer: The seller signs the deed into escrow only to be recorded after assumption approval, ensuring they can’t back out.Lease option fallback: If the assumption is denied, consider a lease option agreement until another solution is found.Option 3: Negotiate a Seller Financing HybridAsk the seller to carry a small second note for the $60K equity gap at favorable terms.Use your $20K as a down payment, structured as a secured loan against the property.3.

Since you will be using the funds for construction, you will most likely be paying in draws as the work is completed, so you can draw on the line in similar fashion.

As to the best place to park funds, with a known $1m tax liability coming due, safety and liquidity are priorities.

Hehe, I can check but it is a multi million dollar fund.

If funding is an issue, you do have some options.

I'd prefer to buy SFH instead of condo, but you'll need to be ready to put some sweat equity into the SFH. if I had to give you an answer today, I would advise you keep renting and put your cash into a mix of securities and bonds to compound your saving.

The most important thing is separating the "business" funds from your normal funds, do not co-mingle. 

Ideally, we'd set up unsecured funding for working capital of $150.000-$200.000, but we can make use of as little as $20k.

We have a 2 step program that we fund out of balance sheet that allows you to pull out cash before 12 months, and then refi into a conventional loan.

My goal is to leverage the remaining balance of the second HELOC to fund another investment while exploring hard money or other creative financing strategies.