I've been self-employed for only 6 months, and loans are proving difficult to come by despite my great credit (not to brag, I'm moreso frustrated and seeking help).

Post on local Facebook pages for contractor referrals, go to local REIAs, and ask your potential agents and PMs (even if not using a PM at first...you may at some point).There is only so much that service providers can do and many of them are far from "experts"; so, be prepared to be your own expert at being willing to figure stuff out as you move forward.

Get a free report from the credit agencies.

Compared to other services that might offer lower-quality leads or require higher upfront costs/paywalls, Prime Tracers also give you free lead credits on sign up so you can actually see the results before you commit to a purchase.

But you have to ask proactively, and be mindful of how long you stay in forbearance to avoid long-term credit issues.🔹 Insurance Challenges – Even when insurance pays, it rarely covers the actual cost to completely rebuild.

You might find a local credit union or community bank that will go to 95 -100%.At one point I called 2 different VA Regional Loan Centers regarding this section in the VA lenders handbook:Assumability - The second mortgage should not restrict theVeteran’s ability to sell the property any more thanthe VA first mortgage.

To access your home equity without selling, you can explore options like a home equity loan, a line of credit (HELOC), or a cash-out refinance.

Real estate actually takes access to capital and/or credit. 

Renting it out while strategically leveraging the equity could be the best path forward.As @Jaycee Greene said, DSCR looks at your credit rather than DTI.

The other way I fund deals with none of my own money is using a private lender that I have years of experience and relationship with and/or using HELOC and other business lines of credit.