I was wrestling with a similar question when I bought my first rental property.

If you buy a duplex and your "cost" per month is 750 (just using a number) but for you to rent or (even buy) a similar single family it would cost you 2000 a month then you are still 1250 a head every month! 

It’s flexible and can help you fund deals quickly.Lease Options: Similar to “rent-to-own,” you control a property with minimal upfront costs and can potentially get a cut of the appreciation if you decide to buy it later.Lines of Credit: If you already own a property with equity, a HELOC or business line of credit can give you accessible funds for down payments or renovation costs.House Hacking: This might sound basic, but if you haven’t tried it, it can be a fast track to building up rental income and experience without a ton of cash down.

As others said, one check with both names is the way to go.I had a similar situation last year with boyfriend/girlfriend.

Something similar to the attached.

Ask the planning group to look at another subdivision plans and also ask the engineering firm for a similar set of plans to look through.  

Hello Roopy,As a fellow immigrant who navigated similar uncertainties, I can definitely relate to your situation.

Understanding my customer, I bought similar properties to what they were currently renting.This strategy is similar to how national retail chains operate: identify your target customers and provide what they want.

Also, when you go to sell, your buyer pool will be running into similar scenarios with lending. 

I was thinking about doing something similar.