You may borrow an additional $35000 for hard cost improvements.

I have not been impressed to date with Suncoast PM and if nothing improves I'll be looking for a new PM when agreement term expires. 

If we rent to own, they are OK, but we cant refinance because we don't have the deed.Are there any unique scenarios to help us get the property for little money out of pocket, we have the ability to have the deedSign a lease agreement with a purchase option that allows you to buy the property at an agreed price at the end of the lease term, consider establishing a partnership with the seller to jointly invest in property repairs and improvements.

A potential challenge with a HELOCs is they are based on the current appraised value of your home, not the improved value, so you would need to make sure you have enough accessible equity.

A HELOC is a great way for you to self-fund the improvements.

On another note, I had a lengthy conversation with VRBO last night while we both looked at one of my listings and came up some ways to improve it. 

This gives you a foundation for making a fair offer.Secure Financing: Be prepared to show you’re a serious buyer with funding lined up, whether through cash, traditional financing, or a creative option like seller financing.Have a Strategy for Repairs or Development: If the property is distressed, outline how you’ll handle improvements to bring it back to productive use.

The plan was to pay cash, refi out and use that to improve the property. 

For example, if you buy a home for 100k, and then improve the property and now it is worth 200k. 

Often, traditional lenders offer better rates, which can significantly improve your profit margins.2.