Good cash flow and equity upon completion.

With your considerable experience and, I'm assuming, strong credit score, you would be well-positioned to receive high leverage and low rates from most private lenders.

I joined Pace Morby's Subto and Gator communities and worked on a Subto low equity acquisitions team, where I learned as much as I could and closed on my first few deals. 

Although I’m guessing most people in this position would use Wordpress or something more customizable.

One way would be to get the real estate under contract, then bring an experienced partner in who also has access to capital, and stay in the deal as a minority equity partner.

They were not in a position to budge as much as I had liked.

Do they not have any equity?

If you're willing and able, I do recommend the "house hacking" strategy which is just a fancy name for buying a rental property and living in one of the units, because you'll get very favorable financing - an owner-occupied fixed-rate 30-year mortgage.I'd also say, analyze that property as if you won't live there and it's a pure rental, and make sure the property is still cash flow positive if there's a tenant in your unit because then you'll know if it's actually a good investment.And when you analyze it, include payment of a property manager in your #s because if you don't, and doing so would make it go cash flow negative, then you've just bought yourself a job because you literally can't step away from managing it without losing money.

So as @Melanie P. said, any positive cash flow is enough. 

Quote from @Jay Hinrichs: thats basic list one can add.Value add /  New construction / land entitlements/ Timber / Minerals/ Lendingetc etc.. far more ways to actually make money than just buy and wait for rental income to payoff debtl  Good old sweat equity still works  ;)