It's a numbers game, I was making 20 to 30 calls a day, networking with agents and making 4 to 5 offers a week.

You have to have a lot more to be above average - indoor heated pool, more video games, other games - i.e. pool table, foosball, etc.., theater room - those kinds of things.  

Once done and if your the most qualified tenant then I would rent to you.Maybe you voluntarily offer to pay additional rent or animal fee to show you are not trying to game the system or at least offer to pay a higher security deposit which you would get back if you take care of the property.You are not being fair by assuming everyone is discriminating against you with no proof.

@Adam VendittiI am with @Andrew Freed on keeping the home. 4 green house & 1 red hotel, as Robert Kiyosaki says… that’s the path/game if you are looking to build wealth.

If you are, its a longer game.

My thought was:1 - I put the down payment and assume the mortgage.2 - Contractor (no skin in the game at this point) buys materials to complete the necessary upgrades3 - When it is done we sell the property and subtract the down payment, material cost, mortgage payments, utilities, settlement costs - and then whatever is left we split.  

Joel, welcome to the game!

If you're in the flipping business then I think there is always the game of Russian Roulette involved.

For example, are you the kind of person where, if you invested a few/several thousand in a course, that'd you'd be motivated to the point of not failing because of that skin in the game?

As for purchase price, anything you can use to get a better price is fair game.