For example, per Dr.

You invest in something else, for example in a more profitable place, and the you use the proceeds of the investment to buy a property in Costa Rica when you retire.

I'd pick a market close by, or that you have a strong personal connection to, or that you visit often.For example, these investors bought properties that "weren't very expensive," or at least didn't look that way:https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/12/topics/1215726-break...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/963/topics/1195280-expe...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/48/topics/1137397-balti...

I also know from experience that if you have damages from frozen pipes the insurance co. will try to 1) verify that the property was occupied and 2) verify that the heat was turned on ( for example they could request a copy of the heating bill).

Here’s an example of what I've used if they don't qualify based on what's on application. 

My specialty as an example is working with investors looking to build portfolios of Short Term Rental/ luxury vacation properties all across the US.  90% of my clients use the 10% down second home occupancy loan.  

.), I'd recommend that the residential units fully cash flow the loan as my experience is that mixed use properties are tougher to finance as most lenders tend to prefer one or the other and something in the middle gets more difficult.For example, and granted I don't know anything about the area/neighborhood, I would expect this property (https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/111-NW-Har...) to be easier to finance than the mixed-use property you mentioned. 

For the 700 credit score you could take 1 month's rent as a deposit but for the other 2 you could take 2 months (as an example) due to the risk factor. 

In another example, a tenant had no credit as he had just immigrated to the US. 

Quote from @Zach Howard: Hi, I'm researching financing options for non-US citizens who wish to purchase multifamily investment properties - around 4 units to start with, for example.