I've explored RentecDirect a little bit as an alternative.

My husband and I are looking to purchase our home in Los Angeles, CA, or home town.

I've done something similar with owners in the same town who are going to sell when the condos they want to move into are complete - they called ME a few months after our initial discussion just to check in and let me know they want to work with me when they are ready to move.

Buy them around 5-10k, I know a contractor that i can hire, if its not so bad i can have my dad to help me work on them since he works on houses around town, just small project though.  

I'd talk with @Ann Bellamy for lending.When your rehab is done, talk with me about marketing the property to get top dollar for it.Pro tip - be sure you look at whether the property is on town sewer of private septic system. 

He/she would hire you most likely for the worst units/tenants in the worst parts of town...

It's a commercial property on main st. in a town of 50k people.

Redlands is a cool old town with lots of restaurants and coffee shops that could work... and of course it doesn't need to be in Redlands.

(I will be in town for a few days at the end of Sept.

If you want to explore a cash out refinance you can receive a loan up to 80% of the home's value in Texas.