@Shannon Browing You can get you down payment from a gift from a direct relative.

This is my gift for those that were talking to him.

You may need to open a checking account to not be charged a % (non-members of my bank have to pay a few percent to use their coin sorter).I believe Coinstar (a popular coin-sorting company) doesn't charge fees when you convert your coin total to an Amazon gift card (as opposed to receiving cash which they charge a % for).

This extra cash would be a loan or a gift from your parents to invest? 

Maybe send them a coffee card or gift card for the trouble.Don't make it a bigger deal than it is.

Using gift equity to cover down payment, closing costs, and any other expenses from the purchase.

Tenant wasn't gifted a dog, tenant got a dog.

I spoke with an agent who mentioned that they'd heard of investors transferring the ownership into an LLC and issuing a small amount of stock and gifting it to the tenant, such that they are legally part owners, has anyone seen this done successfully?

3) Give a gift to a family member each year to lower my AGI?

As long as you have the 3.5% down payment in verified funds (which can also be a gift), then it's all about how you structure the offer to make the numbers work.