However, the HOA then said "we are still fully opposed to the door".I am working with our RE attorney, but I was wondering if anyone had any tips or experience in this situation. 

I think they just see the lower rent and run with it in that specific situation.

Hard money and private investing are both ways to finance flips, but they work a little differently.Hard money loans are typically from companies or private lenders that specialize in short-term, high-interest loans.

Name detection is via loan signatures.

If you are willing to live in urban areas you may want to talk to a local bank in your market and see if they have any incentives or grant loans for certain areas.  

Any advice for the situation would be much appreciated!!! 

i wouldn't tell you where you should move since i don't know you.also, a lender would be in the best position to advise whether you qualify for a specific loan. 

We're willing to live almost anywhere in the greater Sacramento area based on what we can afford, provided of course that the property is in a decent neighborhood that has a good chance of attracting responsible tenants.As for budget, I believe we could get a conventional loan for properties up to $600k, but my strong preference is to find a distressed property (or seller!)

if someone needs to borrow a few grand that's a pretty shaky situation.. 

The process from start to finish would take four months and cost ~200k to build, with comps in the area around 355k-lender man said, refinancing would take six months as most lenders wont refinance a property unless its been built for six months, affecting the strategy to get paid out from refinancing quicker and closing out on construction loan-The property would not appraise at comps value, but at the cost it took to build, affecting getting paid out from the refinance.