Once rehabbed, rents can improve $300-$400/month/unit.Owner currently pays water/sewer/trash. 

How about if you try to do the brrr strategy and you improve it a great deal through forced appreciation .. when it’s reassessed at 150+ grand then you’ll be paying 6 grand in taxes ,but your rents never really go up .

Try wholesaling first to come up with the funds if you don't have easy access to the 3.5% needed for the down payment.

Is my best option to do a few flips while we wait for his score to improve, or try to do a deal with owner financing?

I do like Jason's idea of putting it toward the house and using a HELOC to access the equity.

Looking for contractors for bids, and a valuation 'as is' I'm a licensed agent, but I don't have access to the MLS in Hastings where I would typically could pull some of the information on comps etc. 

I’m just stuck on how to get access to a big lump sum to start me out.

You fast forward a few years and loop 288 will complete it's final phases through Denton will push that highway system closer to Krum and bring more direct access to business and residents.

Danill and his team are constantly improving, adding features and providing lots of value to subscribers.

Simple path but not much leverage used.Buy a smaller property, maybe a duplex or fourplex, improve it with your skills and up the rents.