Assuming you have a respectable FICO you can buy, with a FHA Loan (3-5% down, a 30 year amortization schedule, and a residential loan rate).

Respectfully request (via your PM) more information - and get very familiar with your HOA covenants and policies.

Be respectful of the fact the money came from your wife's family and don't pressure her into doing anything.

BTW, I hear you about being a contrarian and feel the same way, but I respectfully disagree that deflation is a "crowded trade" so to speak at the moment.

Find an agent near you, tell them what you want and where, it only takes me a few seconds to set up an automatic email for anything that pops up.The payoff to me is they use me to buy the home...which is still free to them, since the seller pays Realtor fees here in Texas.And a little heads up, respect their time.

I would think that any real estate professional that you will want to work with will probably understand and respect your strategy, goals, and ethic. 

However, we have others in business who pay >$20k/yr for family plans (depends on the deductible), but again its through their respective companies so although its deductible it's still very painful !!

A 203k Loan is where the purchase price and rehab costs are rolled into a single loan.Assuming you have a respectable FICO you can buy, with a FHA Loan (3-5% down, a 30 year amortization schedule, and a residential loan rate).

Wells Fargo and Union Bank do them, but only up to about 60-65% LTV respectively. 

He is very clean, respectable, and cuts down trees for a living.