Which do you think a tenant will pay first - their car or rent payment?

People nowadays want payment up front then service.

I was thinking he supplies the down payment and acts as a silent partner.

You set your own payment terms with YOUR client and then find funding for them.The Capital Syndicate is a private lender firm that offers financing through their own company, but they also provide you with a list of about 150 other private lenders. 

Any other expenses are using up funds that would otherwise be sitting in your checking account to make a mortgage payment with.

FHA loans can be a good option here, allowing you to put down a lower down payment.## NetworkingNetworking is key in real estate investing.

Wondering if you have advice on me just being the bank, where I purchase a house and structure a rent to own with him and have him build up a 30% cash down payment and some equity and then me sell the house to him at a locked in price.  

Consider looking into FHA or conventional loans with lower down payments to maximize your cash.

You can even plan vacations that are written off if using the sandwich method by doing work on Friday and Monday for real estate and the weekend is there so you do vacation stuff so all lodging and travel can be written off. 

You can live in one unit and rent out the other for little to no down payment.