To your point, it will be difficult for you to get conventional financing at this time, but once you hit the 2 year employment mark then you can circle back on that and perhaps payoff the private loan with a conventional mortgage. 

Is employment growing/decreasing?

We have a large training room at my workplace, and my director just gave me the OK to use it for our meetings.  

So after going through the same trials last year, I ended up getting my own employing broker.  

I am self-employed since 2014.

It may be necessary for you to transactioneer your deal by employing two, different escrow companies.

They have new jobs at very good employers and make well beyond three times the rent.

Thanks @Cal C. and @Steve Vaughan  My wife and I have decent income so qualifying shouldn't be an issue at this point, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing other issues or pitfalls by employing this strategy. 

Make sure your employer won’t still withhold tax, especially if they are California based.

Looking back, I wish we would have rented it out as my next employer provided housing.