He came upon a good off market deal in the University Terrace NW, Washington dc neighborhood. 

Better option considering your implied family status is probably to find a SFR with an ADU or good ADU potential,  and go north around or just across the city boundary into lake city/shoreline/edmonds/mountlake terrace etc.   

Do that and live on the rice and bean budget until that 17k is paid off.

Drywalled the living, dining and kitchen ceiling and put in crown molding, painted everything, terraced the tiny hilly front yard and landscaped it, converted a nested 'nursery' to a bedroom by adding a closet along the entire wall. 

You could agree on a lot rice with a stipulation on about bank financing to reduce it further.

Every residence has a private yard and large patio terrace.

@Doron Rice Since the seller disclosed then yeah it would be nice to get some documents but good luck.

Another bedroom has its own terrace.

I'm considering a couple of properties in the Oak Grove, and Highland Terrace/Providence Park neighborhoods in Richmond, some for rentals, one or two for flips.

I found it 6 years ago before it sky rocketed.. been building new construction in the inner city by the cigar factory and over in Wagner terrace and a few big multi million dollar specs south of Broad.. if I was 20 to 30 years younger I would pull up stakes and move there .. great town great business town.. at least for what I do.