House hacking and FHA loans can help qualify for lower down payment loans, while local banks and credit unions offer favorable financing options.

However, since this is your primary residence, it doesn’t qualify for a 1031 exchange unless you convert it into a rental and hold it for a period before selling.To avoid capital gains taxes using the Section 121 exclusion, you’d need to have lived in the property for at least 2 years, which you haven’t met yet.

Lower end tenants mean more headache:More frequent turn overHeavier turn costs/higher wear and tearSlow paymentsLonger vacancy between both the turn over time and finding another qualified tenantBeyond these factors, as others noted, a full unit renovation will cost about 15-20k if you want to do it pretty nice.  

However, if it qualifies, you could potentially apply bonus depreciation or Section 179 to write off more of the cost in the first year.You can also partially dispose of the old undepreciated cost.

Each option depends on your timeline, but a HELOC or cash-out refinance will likely offer the best long-term value, and it looks like you already qualify as REPS, which can save you 1000s in taxes if you plan your investment correctly.

If you do not qualify as REPS, STR can save you significant taxes.

As long as you mom can qualify on her own (with her credit score), I don't think adding you to the loan application would hurt even though your score is not good (but I would still double check that).

Whether you're a new investor or looking to scale your portfolio, qualifying for traditional loans can be a challenge—especially if your personal income doesn’t meet the strict requirements.That’s where Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) loans come in as a game-changing solution for real estate investors, providing an easier way to finance properties based on the property's cash flow rather than your personal income.What is a DSCR Loan in Real Estate Investing?

As an out-of-state investor I'm looking for a qualified and reliable property manager.

Will be able to qualify off of the rent alone without any income or debt to income ratios.