I help investors learn about the industry, meet the players and choose investments.

There are some big players here and they usually have their finger always in the cookie jar.

I think Denver's infrastructure has positioned it to be a player for years to come.

Those are the two major players when trying to make an apples to apples comparison of debt vs no debt.A better question for what you are looking for would be: will an all cash purchase or a leveraged purchase yield a larger return?

However he is a pro basketball player in Europe, which potentially makes proving his income a bit tricky, as he gets paid in Euro etc.How do we best find funding?

Leaving the state would be a last resort but the plan is to stay here and get established with rental properties. $5,000 to $10,000 for an emergency fund is actually a lot more realistic than what I first pictured.

You can partner, you can also find money guys, just remember they get paid so any deal you do will get skinnier for you, often it's not worth the effort as a first resort.

These loans are not impossible to get but your big, nationwide players aren't interested. 

So do the players in this market have any idea?

I am looking for a 150+ unit complex as a sponsor, along w/ my sister-in-law and another partner, and we will not be resorting to those types of fees, either.