First thing is NEVER feel concerned of hurting someone's feelings or ego, your reviewing to employ them, that makes you the boss doesn't it?

Make sure to call the employers.

When parents employ their minor child, the child is exempt from Social Security and Medicare (aka FICA) - if under 18.

My son (age 24) however, is an independant contractor / self employed and is trying to buy a house. 

But if employing your family works for you and for them - great, go ahead.

The idea is to convert a multi-family building into condos; but not in the traditional sense where you separate pre-existing apartments into their own condos; but in a way where you combine the common areas of all of the apartments in that whole building, and turn the individual rooms within those apartments into condos themselves; thus transforming the hallways, kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, porches, balconies into common areas of the condos. 

No need for tax returns, Verification of Employment, or income.

Maybe talk with some realtors who have people who cannot get a loan because they are self employed, but have plenty of down payment.

They are farily easy and do nto require much to get started and the Max LTV is going to be 75% but I have seen some exceptions to 80%.Rates are subject to a few thing like loan amount, property type, number of units, credit score and downpayment.DSCR allows you to purchase with No employment and No tax returns so its a little easier. 

The fear of renting while out of town is common, but it's easy to overcome, especially when you have friends and a handyman.