Thanks to each and everyone of you who took the time to chip in.With that being said, any advice on how I can find deals of MLS?

Hello, I have been listening to the Bigger Pockets podcast, trying to chip away at my ignorance when it comes to all things real estate.

Read the book he cites these types of examples and with practice you will easily arrive at a win / win.Good luck, Chip

Not all cases but lenders have a chip on their shoulder because you don't fit into a little box with a pretty bow for them.I often think it's comical when a lender see more strength in a Wal-Mart worker pulling down 10 bucks an hour than a business owner making huge bank with cash enough to pay the mortgage for years.

buy rental free and clearend 12 rolling months with 3 rentalssecure line of credit against your rentals (pay interest e.g. 5% only when you draw) and go after bigger projects as you have more chips to grindthat's how you create long term wealth and freedom.

That's a nice little chip to negotiate with.But in the future, make it a point not to offer a verbal agreement before or after a contract is signed...it's unenforceable when your contract says "this is the sole agreement between parties" or some such, like most do.

You deal with them  5)  "Profit by investing in tax liens" by  Larry Loftis       "Zero Risk Real Estate" by Chip CummingsThe books give you a basic understanding  but after you understand the basics the most important thing to read is the specific county laws and rules concerning their tax sale. 

Welcome to BP Adam Schumacher seems we are looking for the same type of property, that's a great question, I will wait for the more experienced to chip in..

What I'm thinking is:(1) take out a HELOC as a down payment in another location, which depending on the second location would be enough;(2) Let the HELOC amount sit in my bank account for a couple of months- a lender I've been talking to said to do that because the lender will require two prior bank statements and a large sum of money like that they'll want an explanation for;(3) Get a 30-year mortgage using the funds from the HELOC;(4) Pay down/off the HELOC;And then from there either keep chipping away at the balance of the mortgage or take the equity from that after awhile and repeat for a third property.Is that kind of how this process usually goes?

Keep killing it man, I would be tempted to take my chips off the table.