With comps ranging from $875K-$1M and your estimated build cost at $550K, the after-completion value gives you a significant equity cushion, making this project highly attractive to lenders.If you plan to hold and rent the property, you could refinance into a DSCR loan after construction, which bases lending on rental income rather than personal income.

Personally, my primary residence has appreciated around 6% in market value and I live in Levittown. 

One caveat to this strategy is that you can’t live in a property that your IRA owns, nor can you rent it out to anyone else who may be considered a disqualified person like your spouse or child.Feel free to connect with me and send me a direct message if you want to learn more!

Conventional would allow you to add a fence or do yard work in your bid.I cannot lend to you personally in MA but happy to answer any general questions about the 203k or other Renovation loan programs!

Build connections with local professionals, talk to them in person, and value there time over yours.

In high-cost markets like Chicago, that can be tough to meet.If you're looking at a duplex, the self-sufficiency test doesn’t apply, so you’d just need to qualify based on your personal income and the rental income your lender allows.If your current lender isn’t familiar with making FHA work in your situation, it might be worth getting a second opinion from someone experienced with FHA multi-unit financing.

I love talking personal finance and real estate investing so I would be happy to help.

Any insights or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

I'll let others chime in on their experiences, but from a motivational perspective, I think attending live events and getting the "conference high" is something that only happens through in-person connections and being in the same room with investors who are eagerly pursuing their real estate/financial goals. 

While this job could be performed remotely, working with my peers in person for at least a year is important to me.