milestone : e-signStatus- application under review 

In summary, here's a little bit more about me and my partner and the milestones we took to achieve our first goal:Intro: We're based in Los Angeles and have a SFH home here, and we're looking to convert our garage into an ADU this year.

I rather see it as a milestone.

These are your measurable "milestones". 

Contractor and I agreed to make the draws based on milestones completed (25%, 60%, 75%, 90%, 100%).

That is a great milestone at your age.

Almost everyone in this community will tell you that's not an excuse.One way to look at it is to develop milestones for yourself.

As long as you have tenants in place with a DSCR > 1.25 (which is easy with no mortgage) and a need for cash that is less than 80% of the value of the property, this is where I would first look to raise cash to reinvest in their improvement.  650 is probably the credit score floor here but depending on the amount of cash you have to raise Kerry has a great list of workaround options,  Performing leases changes everything for your situation and I hope you can find a path to that milestone. 

Nice work saving a significant amount of money and reaching that 6 figure milestone, but you need to save more if you are looking to buy 10+ unit buildings.

All of this requires time which can and should be broken down into milestones, which can serve to "soften the blow 1-2 year close the developer is looking for.