She'd probably be able to put you on the line as a co-borrower.I've done this personally and it's been great for me and my situation!

I personally would not invest in detroit as historically its not a appreciating market and for cash flow and I invest primarily for appreciation - I go off the location location location mantra. 

Explore my personal favorites, Set For Life by Scott Trench or The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, for invaluable financial insights.3.

Awesome to see a new investor-minded person here.. do you have a favorite real estate success story already?

I personally own a property in Windsor Hills Resort, right next door to Disney World, and we absolutely love it.

With a Conventional Loan you can buy a SFH, Duplex, Triplex or Quadplex with as little as 5% Down if it is your primary residence as long as you have the intention of occupying one of the units for 1 year after closing escrow.This is the strategy I have personally implemented and have assisted many of my investor clients in doing the same. 20% Down is also beneficial as it keeps your payment low but it does limit your ability of buying more real estate faster.i would be more than happy to discuss the different strategies with you over the phone or in person.

I got a deal on labor as I know the contractor personally and helped out a bit with the project.

You'll want to put together a personal financial statement (basically lists of all your assets and liabilities) and have your tax returns ready.

@Lauren MerendinoI strongly believe that your chosen market should be somewhere that you can go to in person / have strong personal knowledge of / have family or a network in already.  

I personally do not touch equity in my own home to incorporate into my business.