Garage conversions that simply stick a window unit in, rarely perform as well in my market. 3.

They'll take you more seriously and trust you more when you can show them you have a portfolio that's performing well.

After buying a Performing 1st from an online site, what is the next step? 

If you end up with a $3700 rent payment, that doesn't actually improve your situation much.Refi your current home and drop another $100k on the balance to lower your payments and DTI.If you get a commercial loan, the lender will be more interested in the property performance (specifically, DSCR) than your personal DTI.Depending on the deal, offer a larger down payment, then look to open a LOC to access that additional equity, if needed.A partner could definitely make things easier in a case like this.

If it is, they are not performing nor executing their part of the transaction as they need to be able to close the front end. 

I would imagine that all the investors who are over-leveraged or have subpar performing properties will seek to exit as fast as they can, especially if they are short term rentals.

I have yet to find a lender who would lend on an owner occupied owner financed note.I do something very similar with my performing loans in my own portfolio where some call it a collateral assignment or selling a partial.

The contractor that we've been working for month has had AC coil replaced to a new one as well as organic chemicals sprayed into the system, the procedure was performed three times and helped for a short period of time.The issue that is being described here is also known as "dirty sock syndrome". 99% of the time it's getting solved with coil replacement.

I have the right but not obligation to charge myself a management fee or for work I perform. 

If markets perform better than your projections, your deal will be even more profitable.