Private Money: Does anyone have connections or suggestions for private money lenders who might be willing to finance the $200k?

You will then have a few options with that rent money....you can put it into principal or you can start saving it to purchase yet another property.

Being a first time home buyer as well as having the home be owner occupant I was able to only put 5% down through money I had saved throughout high school. 

Close with hard money.  

From what we have been able to discover is that they have taken the money from the renters and have not paid cleaners.  

In all honestly in your situation, I wouldn't put any money into real estate until securing stable employment.

Hello BP,I have been a very active private money lender since 2014. 

For newer investors, they seem to be very high income earners (tech workers, physicians) or have lots of capital but it's tougher to buy here without a lot of money. 

We’re interested in cash flow and recycling our money.

@Michael Plaks yes, it was July end and not June (thanks for correcting that) but I guess you are in high demand to stop accepting by June anyways.I did pay a bigger amount when I extended the filing date, so I don’t think I owe money to the IRS.