However, I now have a Duplex under contract in Birmingham and did the final inspection last week and I was looking to secure funding, then my current lender told me that they don't service the State of Alabama. :/ Does anyone know any smaller local or bigger banks that would offer the same type of loans?

A little less than two weeks ago I secured my first deal and it was a BIG one. 

If your area is sketchy, maybe think of adding a home depot decorative metal security door to both front & back for single moms.

The maintainers are given a monthly per-diem rate and are required to secure their food and living arrangements from this pay.

@Jennifer KobasicIf all the details are factual you provided I may consider it *** if she was willing to put down a double security deposit amount

just keep knocking on doors and making phone calls, I finally got a good deal to sink my hooks in to and have your same issue, in the middle of a refi-cash out to buy this other property and the bank is throwing a wrench on the deal by asking me to pay off a car note to make the 51%DTI ratio. this bums me out but will keep pushing on until I get financing secured to nab this other property, maybe hard money to buy/fix and rent ( I am trying to avoid doing this), or maybe 203K loan, there are too many options, you need to exhaust all possibilities until you get one that fits. good luck brother.

I told her I was going in vacation, but I could give her the security deposit and I could sign the lease on the 13th.

I worked as an independent contractor for over 10 years, finally decided to walk away from that security of having steady work, and income, so I could finally provide the level of service I wanted to, and homeowners deserved.I am a rare type, most others subs were more than happy with just doing enough to get paid, and move on.

@Ryan Gartley It's not necessarily the bank, it's the government secured loan...the government only backs FHA loans up to 4-units.

This struck a chord with me, as I've always had a keen interest in working to secure my retirement by finding ways to make my money go farther through investing.