What you spent on the land/lots can go towards your down payment and, if you've owned the land for more than 6 months, you can use the value of the property toward the cash injection requirement.

Hey @Dalton Foote - I highly suggest  using a renovation loan and house hacking a multi-family if that is possible with your current life circumstances.The 203k and homestyle renovation loans are just amazing products and drastically help you reduce your risk, in my opinion, because you are able to leverage the cost of the entire renovation with such a low down payment loan.We work with a lot of clients who use these products in Chicago, and no matter what, in the long term, they gain great equity.If you aren't able to house hack - the process is essentially the same, but just with more money down with hard money or conventional construction loan.

This allows me to seed the property for 6-12month, then refi, and pay the full amount of the HELCO back in one payment. 

Work on getting a down payment saved up while managing your townhomes.

In this manual (which I assume could be modified to provide to tenants) I include all the financing information (which you would not include for tenants) bank accounts, mortgage accounts, payment information, and mortgage payoff), a list of the contractors, what each contractor does, a list of upcoming planned or necessary repairs, and a copy of all leases associated with the property.

The lender may figure if the borrower had this kind of money they’d be making the mortgage payments. 

Hello @Yvonne Wang,The scope of work should include the following:- Basic info: Property address, client name, contractor's contact info, address, license#'s, signed general/operating agreement b/w contractor and client- Specification of repairs: Repair item, Quantity of items needed, total & per unit cost of items, taxes (if applicable), Completion hours, title of the person responsible for the repair item, written summary describing the work- Add'l info: Schedule of repairs, additional payment schedule details i.e. disbursement schedule, method of disbursement, deposits, holdback amounts, etc.The screenshot below highlights a couple of repair items.

Unless you've done substantial improvements to the building or used a large down payment when buying, it's unlikely this will work.Perhaps your best move is to find a new primary residence that is 2-4 units and repeat the process.

This allows you to access funds while keeping your existing mortgages intact.Second Mortgage: Explore lenders who offer second-position loans on investment properties, though rates will be higher.Cash-Out HELOC : While traditional banks often restrict HELOCs on non-owner-occupied properties, some portfolio or private lenders may offer HELOCs for investors.With $15-20K in liquid funds, look for deals where you can negotiate terms:Seller Financing: Negotiate lower down payments or interest-only periods.Subject-To Financing: Assume the seller’s existing mortgage while covering the down payment.Lease-to-Own: Lock in the purchase price while using rental income to build equity.

Principal Paydown: $2,441 Total Gain: $58,317 ROI: 360.32% (on $16,185 upfront investment: 3.5% down payment of $8,715 + 3% closing costs of $7,470).Year 2 Analysis Cash Flow: -$752 Home Appreciation: $6,120 Principal Paydown: $2,617 Total Gain: $7,985 ROI: 49.34%.Year 3 Analysis Cash Flow: -$375 Home Appreciation: $6,242 Principal Paydown: $2,806 Total Gain: $8,674 ROI: 53.59%.Year 4 Analysis Cash Flow: $9 Home Appreciation: $6,367 Principal Paydown: $3,009 Total Gain: $9,386 ROI: 57.99%.Based on these numbers, you’d have negative cash flow for the first three years and only break even in Year 4, assuming a 2.5% annual rent increase.Adjusted Scenario see second picture: Landlord Covers Gas and WaterIn the second scenario, I assumed the landlord would pay for gas and water at $300/month while maintaining the same 2% home appreciation rate.