Is it possible to get a traditional loan on the 25% and owner finance the rest? 

Or maybe the ESA letter is from a bogus online source that isn’t acceptable.

Maybe we will partner on one in the future.

Is there an issue with getting set up with one or more of the credit bureaus and starting to report on our borrowers?

Aloha, BiggerPockets community!
I’ve been in the real estate business for almost three years now and have completed five deals: one buy-and-hold long-term rental, one short-term rental, and three fix-and-flip project...

also noting most people arent' aware but the credit score run by a mortgage lender and say a general lender like a bank are actually going to be different scores (and likely slightly different ranges) - with some greater weights on mortgage debt for the mortgage lender Credit Bureau settings

you have to find an off market deal that is distressed but not too distressed, buy it and close on it, have a contractor that you trust lined up to rehab it, oversee the rehab to be sure it stays on track, get it rent ready and then rented out, and then / in parallel refinance.how will you execute those steps in any market? 

I've been diving into real estate for about 10 years now, starting with reading all the books I could get my hands on.

(Couldn’t really afford the place, didn’t have good enough credit to be worried about an eviction, etc etc..)2) They should have posted a 5-7-10 (depending on local laws) to “pay or quit” as soon as the ent was late and started eviction.

I think @Jay Hurst nailed it on the head.