Legitimate lenders may charge a small application fee (around $250) to verify you’re serious, but if someone’s asking for thousands with no real intention of closing, that’s a huge red flag.On a more positive note, there are creative financing approaches out there.

Sounds like a good approach @Jeremy Jareckyj!

While I appreciate that & don't want to push them out, they are well below market rate & the unit is a disgusting mess, approaching hoarder status.

While the traditional approach involves buying a multi family property, living in one unit and renting out the other - with rising prices and interest rates; others have considered renting out bedrooms as unit spaces. 

I did approach them about a year ago about getting $25k credit line per property, and the response I got was basically no.

*Development plans for expanded Hoffman Town Center*Although specific tenants have not been named yet due to the development being in the earlier design and planning stages, the vision as described by Hoffman Co. is a commercial and residential mixed-use development including a new public school, storage center, city agency training, a farmer's market, festival space, beer garden, and "other similar uses approved by the city".Sources:Developer laying groundwork to go bigger in Alexandria’s Eisenhower corridorAlexandria considering big plans for properties next to Eisenhower Avenue Metro stationPotomac Yards Alexandria: The 2$ Billion Sports Arena is not the Biggest Development in the Pipeline for Potomac YardsThe Sports Arena was a recent idea that was part of a bigger plan approved in 2017, that called for a massive shopping center at Potomac Yards and the surrounding area to be redeveloped into 1.9 million square feet of office space, 1.1 million square feet of residential space, 900,000 square feet of retail, 300 room hotel, and 9.3 acres of open space by JPG Smith.

Everything else checks out.How would you approach this?

Can try to reposition to Class B, but neighborhood may impede these efforts.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, but 15-20% should be used to also cover tenant nonpayment, eviction costs & damages.Tenant Pool: majority will have FICO scores of 560-620 (approaching 22% probability of default), many blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 2 years.

Could you provide more details on how to get started with this approach?

- Any lessons learned or best practices you’d recommend for someone leaning toward this approach?