Be prepared that your terms with a portfolio loan will be different than a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loan.  

Then I settled in for the long task of really reigning in my budget, improving my credit score, and paying off debt.  

DOES ANYONE NOW ANY PRIVATE LENDERS THAT WILL GIVE YOU A LINE OF CREDIT WITH A 602 CREDIT SCORE.TANYETTE WIGGISON

So now I'm calling all the QuickenLoans and Loan Depot's of country and no one will touch it because: A) Its not my primary residence B) I haven't owned it for a year C) The private lender isn't reporting the monthly payments to a credit bureau so I don't have a verifiable proof of payment D) Been doing AirBnB, so no lease (if I wanted to get 2nd home or rental property financing)Solutions I'm aware of: 1) Most loan officers have suggested I call a local credit union, which I have done> The credit unions are concerned because it's not my primary and I don't have  lease in place with proof of payments via bank statements.

We also have a 4.5% interest rate and a credit score of about 750. 

Just be prepared for the semester turn-overs.  

I would suggest you go and talk to a local credit union or bank.

I am having a challenge finding a small bank or credit union to pull cash out of SFR investment properties which I own free & clear.

So all of a sudden you have a decline in collected rents, your cash-flow sails out the window, you're paying 18% on credit card debt, and with lower equity you literally can't afford to sell the property because you can't afford the debt payoff and the realtor commission, closing costs, etc.  

I felt they did a good job preparing me for the state test.