As a mortgage broker, I've got a 100% financing down payment assistance grant that allows for owner occupants to purchase a duplex.

Once the rehab was done I refinanced out of the private loan into a conventional loan as a primary residence.

Need more details. ;-) The following is just general informationIt sounds as though the seller has an investment to sell, not his private home.

Using mortgage debt at 6-7% on a refinance to pay off higher rate debt such as a credit card at 15-25% is a savings!

Primary home is a little easier but for FHA and other programs it requires 12 months title seasoning.There is something called delayed financing that if you purchase a piece of land and pay for the home "All Cash" without a mortgage you can get up to 80% LTC.

Conventional owner-occupied mortgage rates are above 7% today (source: Mortgage News Daily - Mortgage And Real Estate News).

Secondly, condo, house, anything with a mortgage...

However, this would require you to move into the property and would need to qualify for a new mortgage. 

private money lender How did you add value to the deal?

I have 3 accounts per property which helps me leverage APY on savings accounts, prevent funds from being comingled, and easily set up auto payments for things like mortgage payments and utilities.