I have been pondering alternative ways to fund my first investment property. 

Backup alternative in this area is redevelopment to condos if an owner preferred that route.

Anyone have experience with this alternative creative financing vehicle? 

Most of the bids I got from them were wildly over the top for the job needed, and they'd typically tell me they couldn't get an alternative bid.

Alternatively you have your quote and would make the repairs for $XXX...it seems this has somehow turned into a tenant right that simply doesn't exist.

That's not the alternative that I had in my mind.

Alternatively, you can try and figure out your DTI (debt-to-income ratio), that should give you a general idea as well.

Duplex: While a fourplex may seem out of reach, focusing on duplexes for now is a sound alternative.

This is an alternative for people who don’t have non-retirement funds to invest.

The Sixers stadium can have the same impact on the Market Street corridor and last I checked, nobody has come up with a viable alternative for turning around Center City, particularly this area which is the most troubled.