Post Dodd Frank sellers have continued the same bad practice of selling houses to occupants with financing at selling prices that are way high, can't be justified via any type of 3rd party valuation (appraisal, zestimate, tax value, even recent sales in the same area).   

2) Our brand is recognized by "X" agency for your type of home!

I just got back on to BP and boy have I missed these types of threads and insights.If you are non-accredited and sophisticated, find Sponsors you can talk to that you get to know. 

In your case, if you’re working with older sellers, you could even use some of the funds to pay for their senior living stays while you wait for the renovations to finish, which would take a huge burden off them and solidify the deal in a way that works for both sides.I think this type of financing works great because it keeps the deal flowing and ensures you're able to close without the traditional loan roadblocks.

I'd say start the process of securing your HELOC if you havn't done so and spend time analyzing deals and determining what type of investor you are looking to be. 

What type of properties are you interested in, SF, 2-4 MF, or 5+ MF?

But I have a client with the same type of building and has a non-conforming basement that he uses as an Airbnb and hasn't had any issues with it. 

Are you a hands-on type that can make improvements to a home or prefer to contract out work?

I’m the type who does lots of research but my job was to find the house, get it inspected, and have a contractor come in & give estimates.

Are there certain areas of town or types of properties you want to focus on?