.- Old housing stock and lots of lead paint - this point is not to be underestimated. - Stupid high property taxesHigh risk can equal high reward.

I was thinking of stocks, blog, but these all include additional cost 😐  

This probably wouldn't work for USMC bases that I was at, where permanent wartime deployment tempos is the norm even if there aren't any wars on, but by contrast many of those Army units just stay in Kentucky of Texas for a decade at a time until a war breaks out, meaning (one would predict) housing demand goes down when wars go up, and comes back up when wars wind down.Again, I wasn't smart enough to be doing this while still in, so this is speculation.

When you look at creative financing in this light, you go beyond types of lenders, seller financing or cash purchases, the use of other assets.As mentioned, you do need to recognize seller's motivations, understand personal finance well enough that you can make informed suggestions.You can utilize just about any other asset, that has a determinable value, value must be found and agreed to in order to use it.I've used stocks, bonds, other real estate equities, personal property like boats, vehicles even an airplane have been used, accounts receivables, existing leases or new leases can be pledged or cashed in, annuities, judgments, inventory and a & of sales have been used in some of my deals.Anything of value, held now or to be received in the future, that is marketable can be a source for leveraging a transaction. 

( * Just FYI, Home Depot now has real marble vanity tops in stock for unbelievably great prices--not carrara, but a type of marble called Arabescato Venato, which has both gray and beige and/or brown veining, so it can work with older beige and almond/bone colored tile, (like mine) too!

My prediction: you are never going to find anyone who is going to help you finance this, so set your sights lower.

But the vacancy/ collection loss risk can eat up these "paper profits" pretty fast, along with the older housing stock issues in general... which just run higher on maint. 

I'm probably equal between US real estate and US stocks, then with a few international stock funds thrown in, then I also hold some cash in several of the main world currencies.

Warren Buffett said if the stock market is truly efficient, he would never be a billionaire as he bought stocks of companies the market grossly undervalued.

There are several good senior only complexes that might work, in addition to the regular condo stock.