Beg family and friends to fund it for you.They "might" do it if they see you've learned a lot and your business plan sounds very solid.How do I know this "might" work?

I'm now realizing that in the state of South Carolina, the tax rate jumps 2% for rental properties to help fund public schools, a $600/mo cost that I didn't account for when using the calculators in the earlier stages.

We do them, but like you we often get push-back from the capital-provider funds.

They will give you a normal mortgage + construction funds for your project.

Any advice on different ways to fund a flip and find a flip??

After two years of occupancy, qualifying for the tax exemption, and benefiting from appreciation, we chose to sell and reinvest the funds.

If you refinance the property that you used funds from your TSP loan to purchase, are you able to pay back the TSP loan in a large sum?

You can get some very favorable funding and you'll need to occupy one of the units for just one year. 

What do you have in funds and experience?

The investors fund the mortgage pools.