I love real estate.I work in sales and all my real estate experience has been passed down to me by my mother, a 25 year veteran in the industry.You will often find me reading, working, or making music!

A cross collaterized mortgage, (encumbrance of two or more properties under a single instrument set) is not a conventional structure.  

Do either of you have money in a 401k, IRA, etc or any other investment instrument that you can pull out for the down payment?

The bank person listed as trustee on the original deed of trust (assuming this property used a D-T as security instrument) would be the person with the answer... more so than the local banker, who is still important for approving the deal.

South End again has lots of restaurants, bars, and music venues.

You took action, so this is like great music to my ears...

I became an investor by doing all the wrong things but I"ve learned as I've gone.  3 of my houses are where my son lives and he is instrumental in bringing them up to rentable and then managing them (and we pay him for that and still make money).  

The tenant works at a live music venue/bar that I frequent, and I suspect he's earning a descent wage there.

The real trick is not finding the instruments but knowing what they mean and how they impact the title.How long is a judgment good for, what are the requirements for a valid conveyance, what affect does a divorce have on the title and judgments that may attach to the property?

My professional background is in production management/ producing for Commercials and Music Videos.