It was an ideal solution to support the long-term vision for transforming this parcel into a thriving residential community.

SarahI’m gonna give a slightly different answer than others, figure out where/how you want to live within reason & than figure out a way to use strategies to make that somewhat affordable but using a strategy 1st approach is really risky in this market, because it might take 4-5 years to even break even vs renting, so you want to find a place you’d be happy to live for 4-5 years & than find strategies like house hacking that make that more affordable. 

If you want to buy real estate and can't come up with the down payment funds there's two approaches:  (1) save up until you can afford the down payment; or (2) raise LP capital*.

Do I buy as low as I can to afford mortgage with 0 down and use 300k for big bear or put a larger down on primary home.

I'm not saying they shouldn't, I just can't afford to leave that money on the table if I'm not making more than that somewhere else. 

Or maybe you have other solutions for this?

If you have the other income and can afford to keep rolling your RE profits and additional money into growing your RE empire for the long term then there is no rule saying that you shouldn't or can't do that.

You have to explain it to the listing agent who doesn't get it, who then sends that to the seller, by telling them it's not that you have no money, but this is a right afforded to you based on your service to the country and you can also show proof of funds that you have money, but are choosing not to use it as a downpayment because you want to do reno with it.I would use your VA, that's what it's there for.

And if they use public funds the property has to remain affordable housing for THIRTY YEARS which is insane.

There are much simpler solutions that wont cost you 18K.