I've had some banks want yoy to own it with tenants for a year or two to prove the income.

We only communicate through email, so yes proving the combativeness would be simple once the email exchanges are reviewed by the arbitrator.

We've had thousands of folks flee even more pricey metros (NYC, Boston, Chicago, etc.) come down here since Covid so, although it's relatively cheap for them by comparison, it just makes getting even decent returns tough. 

You just have to prove that you are the new Owner and not the deadbeat Tenant that no longer lives in that property to change the light into another name. 

Temple is a very tough area to rent right now.

@Tyler Stone, that's a tough one.You're basically asking a broker to take on additional liability (since anything you do in real estate could conceivably be tied to them), but offering to give them nothing in return since you're stating up front you won't be doing any listings.Your best bet is going to be networking and trying to find small/independent brokers.Anyone with a brand name, e.g., RE/Max or Keller Williams, is going to have pressure from their own management to "perform" and weed out agents who don't sell/produce enough, which means they won't even consider you if you're saying you have no intention of doing any transactions under their umbrella.I know people who have done what you describe, but they either already had a close friend who was a broker who was willing to take them on, or in one case they bit the bullet and just became a broker themselves (which is fine but is additional time and expense).

Can you share some details about your current situation: Original purchase priceDown payment / borrowed amountAny hard costs on rehab (meaning things you can prove with receipts)Current estimated valueCurrent amount owed

It is actually a very low margin business and it is tough to do profitably. 

It is a tough gig and not getting any easier.  

Driving for dollars was tough.