But I do think that the overall quality is very low compared to the rest of the US.

This will allow you to remove the person and do the financing on your own.Home Equity Loan/Line of Credit: Since you're looking to access equity, a home equity loan or line of credit (HELOC) can be a good option.

.: Quote from @Jay Hinrichs: when I was buying notes I did not even run credit.. but I only paid 10 to 20 cents on the dollar.  

@Andrew Self there are attornies you can hire to resolve your credit issues.

Conclusion: Don´t give your credit card infos for "free" products!!!

There are loan programs that will do a 20% down payment with a 680 or above credit score. 

I guess I could do some work-arounds -- maybe reserve one unit in the first purchase for use as an AirBnb, and reserve my own time in it when needed - instead of claiming it as a primary.Are either of you (or anyone) familiar with a finance product/loan that will allow me to purchase under $150,000 (w/ strong credit) and do much of my own work and live-in a portion as a primary residence?  

The low down payment house hack is the way to go.

I would upgrade properties every 12-15 months as allowed by low down payment loans if my significant other wasn’t risk adverse and opposed to moving.

.- Personal Articles: Coverage for belongings that have a special or collectors valuesuch as Jewelry, Furs, Fine Arts, Collectibles, etc...Your age should not be a factor on the pricing but, depending on the company these other factors may get you credits:- Insurance Score (company pulls certain info out of your credit report).