@Geovanni Cano sellers don't like FHA, it is meant for people with little money and very low credit score, plus you have an FHA inspection which can derail a deal a week before closing, nothing the buyer can do.

I do but the current intrest rate i have it as is 3 percent. would a bridge loan or seller financing work to meet the down payment?

I email the sellers agent all the info , and she emails back that the deck isnt up to todays code .       

How can I best protect the seller as well as myself?

Again, assuming you are looking at groups that do larger deals, there is almost always a press release and it will note who the buyer and/or seller is.  

Outside of raising money from others or seller financing, I am looking to see if there are private or other lending options that could cover 10-20% of a downpayment on these loans with a shorter loan term of say 5 years.

i actually have bought properties on seller finance at 95% LTV. 

What a willing buyer can afford to pay to a willing seller. 

A property qualifies as Homestead for this exemption if an eligible owner files a Principal Residence Exemption (PRE): https://www.michigan.gov/taxes/0,4676,7-238-43535_43539-210891--,00.html#:~:text=Section%20211.7cc%20and%20211.7,purposes%20up%20to%2018%20mills.Many investors have gotten an ugly surprise when they bought a property that was a primary residence of the seller for the last 20 years.

It's working out ok other than some latent defects the seller hid from me and my inspector during my due diligence period.