Hi Sherrie, There may be a few routes for you to best utilize the equity in your current home. 

In terms of debts, I agree with @JoeHammel - A title company is the best resource to check on all liens which could be contractor, IRS, bankruptcy, local utility bills or property tax, child support, etc. 

Can you please shares insights on the cost structures with respect to the various taxes levied and cost to run (cleaning, handyman, utilities etc).

They had no clue why and found out through their neighbor that the utility water meter was leaking.

Have any investors here utilized such funding methods?

Most investors and agents are too scared to negotiate, I bought the home on over an acre for 300k.I like to take a net approach where I utilize as many sources as possible to find deals.

I haven't done this as this is going to be my very first property, please feel free to ask any questions:Potential Rental Income: $1000/- month (Right now through housing, but rent is due for increase)Taxes: $2600/-Utilities Water/Sewer: $800/- (Rest of the utilities are paid by tenant)Purchase Price: $124,900/-

Septics, land, and utility installation will not get cheaper.

Now today on the 20th at 130pm with a close tike of 3 pm, the underwriter decides that they don't like that because I'm so young and so fat have only been an authorized user on a credit card (having been renting and paying for utilities for a year though) and haven't been making the payments, that now I would need to have a cosigner (which doesn't really work since everyone I know have too many write offs) so now I'm in limbo while I wait to see if there's any other solutions.

You can actually charge a RUBS fees with the rent to offset utilities.