@Jonathan BombaciThanks for all the great tips. 

Gift money was not permitted.But it’s not the end of the world.

You could even ask some property managers on their opinions, some buyers like professional management in place.I love the idea of asking your tenants to pay market value for the houses that they live in, and let’s be honest, home ownership is a good gift to give people.

Any tips?

Any tips or advice moving forward?

Any tips for getting a mortgage with putting 20-25% down? 

There are several of them. https://certifiedtaxcoach.org/five-tips-to-avoiding-the-tax-hazards-of-renting-to-relatives/#:~:text=Rent%20at%20Fair%20Market%20Value&text=If%20they%20rent%20below%20fair,for%20more%20than%2014%20days.

Thanks for the tips!

I will be using Bigger Pockets' resources to reach out to agents as well, but any tips/ advice in getting started would be appreciated!

We aren't giving up, but we would love some advice/tips on securing private money, maybe we are just looking in the wrong places.2.