Financing for an LLC with no history income or assets other the the ones requesting leverage is like pulling hens teeth.It's an imperfect world but the asset protection strategies that will help you as an intermediate investor can actually be a detriment to you as a new investor unless you are seeding your LLC with cash to operate on it's own from the get go.Most folks get stuck in a search for separation from their personal lives with their investing but at the same time must depend on their personal resources for establishing the LLC. 

Does anyone have experience using a Japanese entity (Godo Kaisha) to establish operating history that Japanese lenders/banks would accept?

I think @Clint Moore is right about the predatory lending rules being tough once you get into lower loan values.I've never tried, but I guess technically you could try to hope for a good appraisal and take out a larger loan... could be a gamble though.Could you do a HELOC on your primary residence and use that to buy the duplex?

They may have to start with a secure credit cards for a couple months to establish themselves. 

. - finding the right list, sorting it adequately, sending out the right message and handling the responses as they come in).Learn how to do proper due diligence (figure out all the relevant details about each property, learn how to establish a ballpark value for each parcel and make appropriate offers that will actually allow you to make money in the end).Learn how to list and sell properties (understand where to list them, how to attract the most attention, how to offer a value proposition that buyers actually want, all while acknowledging that some properties will inherently sell a lot faster than others... and this is okay).There's a lot more to be said about the process as a whole - but this is the "10,000 foot high" overview of what you'd need to figure out in order to operate a feasible land investing business. 

Hello BP, I was wondering if anyone knew of any good book on how to establish a business revolved around finding equity partners.

If I knew I'd be busy establishing a short interest on Bay Area mortgage debt. 

Depending on what you are using the money for, and also depending on the parameters established between your employer and the administrator of the 401k,  you may be able to take a loan against your 401k rather than cash it out.

Jumping into PM without an education or the established policies and procedures is why our profession has a bad rap.

I don't like gambling, I only like to make bets I can win.