Stanley,Welcome to the BP forum and good luck on your REI future. 

Trying to figure out the proper, best, and alternative routes to making meaningful relationships and wondering what the most effective means is to developing leads that may come along in the probate process. 

I'm in the same boat.

Join a local facebook RE group and ask who the best commercial lenders are and ask for a point of contact instead of just the name of the bank. 

My name is Josh, and I have decided STR may be my next step in life.

The first graph below from the St.

This is a GREAT post and so true.

The title company cannot find a release for the loan from 1998 and says they need proof from the seller that it was paid.

A HELOC could help temporarily if you plan to payoff the balance quickly and are planning to save on monthly payments in the short term.  

Or find a property that is under-utilized or has below market rents.Otherwise, you could also do the OPPOSITE of the great advice from @Jonathan Greene and buy a property with multi-bed units or live in the larger unit and rent out the smaller unit - while getting a roommate(s).