Write-offs, knowledge to lower my taxes substantially, write-off's you don't commonly think of, things like "paying your kids 12k a year", and "using 'vacations' as 'team building' exercises for said employees, etc.3.

I'm interested in taking a loan through my LLC. 

Most of us who are in this business find our pleasure in helping folks find good housing or perhaps in taking what might be the worst looking house in a neighborhood and bringing it back up to the average house or above. 

I feel that entering projects with the goal of value add and selling would be the quickest way to build substantial cash.

Second, lenders usually want you to have substantial reserves when investing in real estate. 

They'll want you to have a substantial equity/ down payment, much more than Fannie/Freddie lenders will require.

When you create an operating agreement there are some limits to what you can do but you could allocate him all depreciation in any given year and it would hold up as long as your agreements met the substantial economic effect rules. 

He says he already has a few buyers interested in buying it from him, as is, for substantially more the we are getting it for.

I have money saved to make a substantial down payment but I would appreciate advice on how to get approved for a mortgage to finance the rest?  

Sheesh, that's substantial vacancy my man!