Your great credit, cash in checking and savings, and property ready to cash flow are the basic conditions to qualify.

I'd be very open to that.A High Yield Savings Account at 4.5% yields a close to 2.5% after-tax amount.

However, what I would suggest based on your expertise as a contractor is going into a semi-fixer upper and make minor repairs to boost equity as well as savings. 

I’d consider saving for the next few months until you’ve got 2-3 months left on your lease so you have a healthy reserve fund no matter what you decide.

It made my payments way more manageable, and I ended up saving a good chunk on interest.

The downside is they usually come with higher interest rates and shorter loan terms.Partnerships or Co-signers: If your husband or a trusted partner has U.S. legal status and credit history, they might be able to co-sign or help with financing.Cash Purchases: Since you have savings in Canada, you might consider using that for your first property, especially for a smaller rehab project.Foreign National Loans: Some lenders specialize in providing loans for foreign nationals.

She was scrambling for a new title company that understood the local subtleties, and my buddy’s referral to a quiet, under-the-radar exchange facilitator near Lake Oswego ended up saving her deal from what felt like a slow-motion derailment.What really helped both of them was teaming up with a local pro who understood the Oregon laws like the back of her hand.

Establishing those city relationships can save a lot of time!

My main concern about actual house hacking for a few years in a row is that we don't want the kiddos to have to change schools once we relocate up there.I'm thinking about getting an appreciation-oriented duplex/triplex in a pricier market with good schools that we could stay in for several years, and saving for an actual cashflow property that'd we buy as an investment property instead of a house hack.

Personally I only use my HELOC on short term projects like flips, new builds and BRRRRs where I know I will be replacing the capital within months.You may be better off waiting a year and save up more cash or liquidate your index funds if the returns on a property will be better.