When bringing up subject-to as an option, the agent kept stating that his loan was un-assumable and that there was nothing more outside of traditional financing that could be done.

FL is also the toughest state in the country (based on my experience) for reliable contractors.If you don't need a ton of house, you could find a nice option for yourself and try to get a small rental.

@Dennis Gallof, it sounds like you are looking for legal loopholes to liability risks and I am not imagining there will be many options there.

We use a flat fee listing agent to save on standard seller commission which allows us the option to offer a higher commission to the buyer's agent

I've been doing this for 20 years, and I still think buying existing properties is the best option.

Depending on what you are wanting long term the househack is a great option as well and depending on your situation you might be able to also keep your house in Salem and buy up here. 

Check in with @Joseph Chiofalo for some construction financing options.

I really like the equation, though, because it does encourage/provide the idea that house hacking can truly increase your personal net worth and be a better option than for example  (having a relatively higher income in town A but you rent versus lower income in town B but you house hack -- the NWROI may tell you house hack in town B!

These loans often have interest-only payment options, meaning you only pay the interest for the duration of the loan or a shorter period based on the market conditions.

This might entail buying a single-family home with rental potential and living in one area while renting out the other units, or it could entail buying a multifamily property and living in one apartment while renting out the others.Financing Options: Look into traditional mortgages, FHA loans (for home hacking), and other inventive financing techniques.