the challenges with flips  is that there are so many angles to try and cover / consider that it is somewhat like spokes on a wheel… even if you just take it system by system… roof, plumbing, AC, foundation, subfloors, electrical, appliances, septic, materials expenses, holding costs, taxes, etc.  

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) is studying an alternative station location between O and R Streets in downtown Merced along 16th Street.

If your objection is time, expense and compliance issues, it's not clear to me this alternative is less expensive or time consuming, and likely is even dicier on compliance.

I've been searching for and working towards purchasing my first investment property for years and years, every time I found one that fit, other local investors with more experience, more readily available funds or alternative financing, and more connections were already writing offers while I was touring the property.

If there's an alternative method that has worked for you, please share. 

As an alternative solution, we've placed QR codes in the units which takes people to a form they need to fill out with all the information they want to collect.

Alternative way could be purchasing this property with normal conventional rehab loan, which is a standard 30 year fixed loan + rehab funds being funded up to 95% LTV.

Have you thought about investing in gas and oil with about a 9 to 10 % roi.. its a 1031 exchange alternative of like kind. 

Your other alternative is partnering with someone who has the W-2 / who is loanable and they can make up your lack of W-2 / income.

You may also find certain markets where alternative rent strategies (MTR, STR, rent by room, etc) produce enough extra income to justify the increased work involved but the difference in income from the different rent strategies in many markets is just sufficient to justify the increase in effort involved.$100k is going to be challenging in coastal CA cities.