I'll definitely try that trick!

One thing you can do is take out a personal loan up to $50K and pay off debts before you buy a home to lower DTI and increase credit scores.There are some tips and tricks to ensure higher credit scores like "Not paying Off credit cards" instead pay them down to or under 30% of the credit limit. 

@Gaurav MehtaAs people are saying, USUALLY some TSP and a re-prime and paint will do the trick.

Wanted to see if anyone is doing weekly compared to 3-day minimum stays and which approach worked for them.Also, if anyone has tips/tricks for STR in OC?

Could also do a HE loan as well, but the trick is finding a bank that will do an equity transaction on an owner-occupied duplex, and who will also keep their appraisal costs to under $600.

I would check in with @Mark Ainley who knows a lot of the tricks from his decades on the south side.

That’s what we are seeing too, that many of the others have pools, gyms and the like so if the staging and the pro photos don’t do the trick in the next couple of weeks, will try the STR route.

Tim, pups don't teach old dogs new tricks!

Remember though, all Homepath properties are Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, and they now have a rule that owner occupants get first look at these deals for the first 15 days -- only after that will investor offers be consideredThis is true and the trick is to concentrate on properties which would not pass lender inspection/qualifications.

The trick is being able to divine amongst shades of grey and isolate the ones that are a good risk from those that are not.