Are you using the 10% down second home occupancy loan?

Wouldn't hurt to look in to both to give yourself the best chance at finding the best loan product. 

typically no special license is needed when doing it for hard money loans that I am aware of. there may be states like california and nevada that are tricky where lenders need a license of some sort but for most part brokers i have seen are not licensed. 14 or 15 states require state license and NMLS registration.

My humble advice to anyone attempting to do creative finance is:Creative finance is for experienced investors who have access to capital if anything goes wrong.Learn the lawsDon't use a contract "off the internet", laws vary by state and are also regulated on a federal levelLearn the financing techniques correctlyDon’t skip parts of the processDon’t ever do a “kitchen table” closingUse the proper deedAn attorney can help you with the legal work, but the rest you are on your ownYour guru will not bail you out“Investing” in someone else’s deal by providing a small 2nd loan so the “investor” can pay for “cash to the seller” and for “closing costs” so he can do the deal is a very bad planKnow what problems can ariseLearn the responses and solutions to problems before they are neededKnow everything there is to know about Title and what that meansKnow who a "protected class" individual isLearn the "back doors"Learn human natureUnderstand timelinesUnderstand regulation enforcement (some of these "mistakes" have a 10 year statue of limitations ( they can charge you 10 years AFTER you do the transaction) and carry hefty fines and possible imprisonmentThe court doesn't accept "I didn't know" for an answer"Know that the source of the lead plays a serious role in some states and federallyKnow how much of a "profit" pushes the boundaries to invite an investigationYou can be sued by the seller if you don’t do things correctlyYou are automatically at fault if an investigator or attorney or regulator gets involved.

The key would be making sure to talk to a local banker that can do CRE loans for owner occupied properties as not all banks do them.

Make sure you talk to a Banker or Loan officer that is well versed in both SE (Self Employed) income and also Non/QM programs.One tip I will give you as a Banker is open up a "Business Checking account" and for the next 12 months pay "Everything" out of that account. 

Mortgage lenders will qualify you for a higher purchase amount for multis than they would on a single, because they will count the rent you will be making on the other units as additional qualifying income for your loan application.

Im trained enough myself at this point in QBO, but my bookeeper still does the more complex entries (Loans, capital balances, reconciliation, etc) I just do the data entries for expenses. 

Do you have a significant other who could take out the loan?

Your first step is- Get approved for a loan (unless you plan on paying cash).