The other option was to partner with a builder on a new construction home.

I would also talk with a flex-space builder/GC to understand their typical costs?  

If you are wholesaling in a market where it looks like a checkerboard and clearly builders are picking off lots, one-by-one, and you are able to source a lot at 1/5 or 2/3 approx of the retail value (the amount builders will pay) then maybe you can wholesale it without having to close on it first. 

Welcome to BP Nestor and congratulations on finding this valuable site along with identifying real estate as your long-term wealth builder! 

Another said if my builder co-signed on the loan it wouldn’t be a problem. 

We asked the builder to consider lowering it to 3 months, and after they ran it by their attorney, they found out that there were too many owner-occupants to make changes.

Don't say a new build with a builder buy down, that's missing the forest for the trees. 

My partner is a builder and recently he’s been charging for the repairs through his business.

A second piece, that you have prob heard, is that the 2009 crisis wiped out a great number of builders financially. 

We do have a lot of builders who purchase the land cash.