@Jack Cottrell"I haven't seen the property in person although my realtor has been there"famous last words.sounds like @Caleb Brown can offer a ton of value here - i'd connect with him

I’ve heard that this neighborhood doesn’t really have any problems from a social worker but outside areas aren’t good. 3/4 units are currently rented at $900 each, renters pay utilities.

Out of that voucher amount, they will have a utility and appliance work sheet that provides a cost for each utility or appliance not provided by a landlord for each bedroom size.

If you’re looking at retrofitting to separate heating for each unit (like furnaces or mini-splits), you might be looking at a higher upfront cost, but it can shift utility expenses to tenants and improve your NOI.I’d factor in boiler age and efficiency when analyzing deals and if it’s near the end of its life, negotiate a price reduction or a credit.

Hope this helps...https://www.starkhelpcentral.com/rent-utilities-assistance

Or is it better to utilize different strategies?

BiggerPockets has a TON of misconceptions about renting.

They were fine with my score (about 740), but have issue with the percentage of personal credit I am utilizing, so that discussion also petered out.Apparently, I have a lending profile right now, that is not attractive to mainstream lending programs.Any advice?

I underestimated utilities in my early years, so I ensure those are properly captured (electricity, gas, water and trash).

Some expenses, such as utilities, property taxes, and interest, incurred during this period may also be capitalized.