Your strategy of partnering for the down payment is exactly what I’m working toward—leveraging relationships to make things happen.

A one-off property in Newark is either going to get you 15 percent payment or terrible PM unfortunately.

 (2) You can also use Lead Swiper to target buyers online.Private Lender Leads: (1) Lead Swiper can easily target private lender leads (2) Nationwide Private Lender database (although this is 1-time payment premium feature, it's cheap), if you want access to capital, quick and easy, it's a no brainer.Hope that helps.

Well based on that logic, home inspections cost money too and I could save towards my next down payment by skipping those. 

The debt may not report to your personal credit (unless you are late on or miss payments, then all bets are off)2.

You can use a low down payment to get into a house and have renters help with your mortgage.

You mentioned buying a fixer upper with your HELOC and now are talking about a 20% down payment.

You have a payment once you borrow against it, but not before. 

Layer on the ability to invest the funds that otherwise would go towards the down payment and transactional costs and you likely come out ahead in such a short term horizon renting.

Have all payments from  the tenants go to your LLC.