I believe this is largely because they don't have to cover a gazillion dollars of personal property that they are making me insure.Rates can also vary based on your credit and claims history. 

I usually send a friendly greeting and link to an application, along with a list of credentials needed ($25K minimum gross annual income, 650+ credit score, and a clean background). 

Their rates are going to be somewhere between 5-8%, depending on credit, LTV, and cashflow. 

Because we were "friend" so I did not ask for any license or any paper that proof I authorised him to do it. 

Does anyone have any examples/stories of deals where they used someone else’s credit to get a mortgage?

When I was starting out, I would have loved to know that I don't need any cash or credit to make it happen.

I have had a job for 2 years, I have a credit score of about 720 (only had the card for a little over a year) and I plan to "house hack" the property I (hopefully) get approved for.

It is like a credit card in that, if you have a zero balance then it does not count against you.

I know plenty of people who can afford to buy a house, but are renters because they just moved to the country and don't have an established credit history.

Since he is a friend of yours he might be open to letting you rent with some sort of credit towards buying the place in a year or two.