They should track progress, quality, and ensure the budget and timeline stay on course.

You don't want to lose your rate on the house you are living in now unless you want to sell it so since that is an owner-occupied, you need to stay there and save up the 20 percent for the second property based on what you said.

Stay Persistent and PositiveFinding housing can be a process, but don’t lose hope.

My templates are built from real-world experience – check my profile (notion4agents.com) if you’re curious.What’s your favorite way to stay organized in real estate?

EDUCATE YOURSELF - yes, it will take time, but will lead to a selection that better meets your expectations & avoids potentially costly surprises!

If this is your first real estate purchase I would stay away from auctions, there's too much risk involved especially with where price points are in your market.

I'm trying to stay on the west side of the river.

It seems you and your husband have the ability to make a property more desirable and I would try to stay local for the same reasons you listed. 

You want to buy real estate with no savings, which even if you can scrape together a 10-20% down payment, means you will have no cushion to fall back on when the inevitable surprise expense happens. 

Oh and it's even more fun when you get a surprise package in the mail with fun stuff and apparel!