Two, you'll have a much easier time obtaining a mortgage product if you have a track record of W2 income.In the meantime, continue implementing the strategies you mentioned: save religiously, build your credit, pay any existing debt owed, etc.

If you tell the IRS it is an expense, it is no longer income.W2 income does not use a 2 year average for your base pay! 

Vendors who partner with Costco pay for market exposure and referrals, which often adds to the final cost passed on to the customer.

Perhaps we "buy" the house from them for the $328K balance to satisfy the lender and don't need a large down payment and then have a separate contract with them to pay $x per month until we've paid the full $172K amount.

Subtract $2300 for one unit and they're paying $1400+expenses to live in a $2300 month apartment and area.

You can have your tenant pay through there.

However it is worth it to pay a little bit more money for a mortgage now, so I can start building equity, assets, and future cash flow.Hey @Kody Glithero, welcome to the BP Forum and it's so great to hear you're looking to start your real estate journey as such a young age!

Look at what high interest credit cards you can get rid of, pay down, or move to zero interest promotion cards for say 15 months etc.

And you can definitely pay off your home faster if you focus on running all of your expenses through it and watch your expenses. 

I agreed to pay for the renovation with no interest credit cards.