You can put a little as 5% down payment for conventional or 3.5% for FHA.Alternative way, is to acquire the 2nd property as an investment property with conventional, while putting 15%-25% down payment.

They currently have under $1M in leverage on the assets but are looking to get a line of credit / portfolio loan to encumber these properties or other properties they acquire.

A BRRRR strategy or house hacking with a duplex can maximize your returns.Consider leveraging financing to acquire multiple properties, which spreads risk and scales your portfolio faster.

. $300,000 is more than enough to acquire your first property, even in New Jersey.

Perhaps the system strategies are best in a buyers market, other states or for acquiring off market properties.  

For illustration purposes, it's quite normal to acquire a mix use building consisting of 9 residential units + 1 commercial space for less than a 9 unit multi-family building would trade in the equivalent location because the commercial space is an automatic disqualifier for many investors.

Is this for a wholesale deal or are you looking to acquire for yourself? 

HI Abigail,Acquiring a loan, lenders always look into 3 metrics Income/Assets/Credit.

In September, I found a property I was interested in acquiring online.

I listened to some of these gurus (including a few people on BP) about acquiring doors to have "financial freedom" and bought 2 Class C properties in Indianapolis, not hating the city just my choice of property purchases - that cash flow on paper has turned out to be -$300 to -$500 a month.