You may want to consider buying each property individually with one or two investors and giving each of them some sort of active role if your intent is to go JV route.

Any success with contacting the individuals skip trace shows may be relatives?

Which are certainly going to exceed $1,000.The only other way is to find wealthy individuals with no idea of what a good return is and ask them for a x% loan on 100% of the money with no payments and the hope you will sell it for a profit at the end.

He has a 3 unit property on the 700 block of 4th St. in South Bethlehem that he will be looking to sale in the next 2 to 3 weeks. 

Obviously run the numbers on the whole package and each individually, but sliding the purchase prices around on a few to play with LTV on financed properties would let you stretch your capital and pre-approved amount further.

The type of list is an individual choice and depends on various parameters such as your geographic market, the type of deals you're aiming for, your calling capacity, marketing budget, etc.

Will you keep as a rental property or sell off individual units?

Stockton is block by block so anything south of hwy 4 is typically bad. 

Individual bank accounts nicknamed on each property to keep things consistent with bookkeeping.

Glad to be among individuals who have similar interests and goals.