I am considering Citadel Credit Union, which my agency already has some accounts with them.

I will just comment briefly on your retirement account you mentioned.

If they dont have a product for you ( and it will cost you probably about half of what HML will cost.. then you will have to start looking at HML.other thing is friends and family or borrower from you retirement account.

Talk with a local realtor and tax accountant.  

Therefore, you cannot go up to 85%, Account Closed.

A condo HOA can decide they want to replace all the roofs, but if the bank account is low, hit you with a $5,000 special assessment.

I just finished their taxes with their CPA and I can say from first hand knowledge that real estate is the most effective way for immigrants to obtain the American dream.My parents immigrated to California in their 20's from Asia with no money, and could not speak English.

All you're doing is transfering cash from your bank account to the property. 

If I didn't have enough knowledge to buy my first deal, then I'd want to put it in a high interest savings account while I learned. 

This is similar to how a traditional mortgage works when a bank requires an escrow account.