Meet with a local banker & schedule a time to talk with a mortgage broker, they'll give you at least a baseline of what kind of down payment options and rates are out there.After that, if you're still wanting to research more creative options, do some looking into seller financing (a very hot topic with good, and bad, advice out there), look into private lenders, and commercial financing options.If you're wanting to live in 1/4 of your quadplex, then conventional residential loans may in fact be your best option as you can purchase that with a fannie/freddy loan with very low down, and use up to 75% of the income from the property toward your own income. 

I’ve had to widen my search radius to smaller suburbs or target properties needing light cosmetic work to make the numbers work.Value-add opportunities: Adding amenities tenants love, like finished basements or upgraded kitchens, seems to justify rent premiums in this market.Navigating the competition:Be creative with financing: Seller financing or partnering with other investors has been helpful to secure deals when conventional offers didn’t cut it.Work with local agents and wholesalers: They often have their finger on the pulse of off-market opportunities, which is critical in a hot market.For those new to suburban Chicago investing, I’d say the key is finding the “sweet spot” neighborhoods—ones on the rise but not yet maxed out in price.

Seller financed (probably) won't be reported to the credit bureaus and so won't impact your credit score at all.

It is a mobile home and I was able to get seller financing for half of the purchase price. 

I was recently sent details about a 20-unit apartment complex that I’m interested in, but the seller's asking price doesn’t align with the numbers I’ve run.

I liked student rentals and I found that didn’t motivate him.

Anyways, on my latest project, the title came back yesterday and revealed two extra parcels of land deeded to the seller under the property I was under contract for.

I had a chat with them on the phone as i was curious about the funding.. but came to the conclusion that the down payment ( the client made to buy) was probably what they paid for the property and the seller carry back note was the profit.. and then the seller carry back note is sold to yet another investor.. who is investing for coupon money.   

Locate a Motivated Seller that will consider Seller Financing.

But it takes time and energy from internally motivated people who take responsiblity.