My goal would be to recoup ALL of the cash invested in the property.Assuming I am not able to pull all of the cash out, would it be a good alternative to take a temporary DFE loan for the purchase price (take a slightly higher rate, use the lender refund to avoid paying closing costs and just pay higher interest for 5 - 6 months) and then refinance again later when the 6 months seasoning period is up?  

Still need more treatments to be sure.My contractors have been on pause ever since an inspector put us on notice about needing permits.

(god forbid you're from NY, i'm at least from NJ and i still get the outsider treatment).  

The last alternative is to get this all redone.  

I would advise you to trust your gut, perhaps its time to pursue an alternate lender.

You have advocated use of an option contract as an alternative to wholesaling. 

My favorite is the Black Diamond meeting that alternates every other month between their Waltham and Worcester locations so you are in a decent area to go to both, this month is in Waltham.  

An alternate would be to cash out refinance your next down payment, but this will hurt your DTI more, increase your risk,  you'll need to make sure it will still cash flow under the refinance.Buying the next place works best in a down market.

@Jill JohnsAs mentioned above, if you want access to alternative assets such as real estate (a popular option around here), you will need a truly self-directed IRA or 401k.

Assuming a water softener is not the best option, I was looking for other alternatives for preventative maintenance.