We are currently desperately looking to rent the place and it has been vacant for 4 months.

It does have a busy shopping area, and a mall that desperately needs attention.

I have a friend that’s desperate to clear the contents of an estate home in Springfield and is having no luck.

This is for a short sale which I have under contract.   The terms state I would have the financing within two weeks which will run out end of next week.  I am in the middle of the process of taking out equity in a ren...

It does have a busy shopping area, and a mall that desperately needs attention.

I will say that for lenders, if you're going to meet one it helps if you have a deal you've done that you can talk about with them, or a specific deal you're considering - or at least some examples of what you're looking for, and the more specific the better.Basically, the more that you can show that you're serious, either by having a track record or by being able to talk intelligently about the kind of project you'd potentially ask them to lend on, the more seriously they'll take you as a potential borrower.It's not unlike a startup seeking funding from an angel investor, there's a whole psychology to it as far as showing that you have some knowledge and presenting it as a safe lending opportunity for them without coming across as "needing" the money because any hint of desperation will turn off a lender or investor quickly.BP has some great resources on this, you could search Bigger Pockets Raising Private Money or something like that.

. $500 (due to a promotion I received) and in addition we have regularly paid anywhere from $30-$150 extra principle a month when we can- because I am SO desperate to pay our mortgage off before we are 60!

If representing the Seller I would Never advise them to do a sub2 deal as there are severe risks for the seller....unless they were very desperate and facing immediate foreclosure, maybe. 

The good news is that I am in a great house and great location now, and still able to build my savings every month, so I am not in desperation mode, but still want to get the ball rolling on my investment career.  

Chris , you desperately want to believe a lie