I'm a part time investor and bought house number three in June and I've been working towards creating a solid financial picture for banks to get traditional financing for a fourth buy and hold deal: paying down debt, saving six months reserves, filing taxes to show rental income to lower DTI,  and rehabbing (Higher HELOC appraisal)  It's been pretty quiet on my real estate front and I've been wondering if I should be more active trying to acquire house four through creative financing, or mailing yellow letters?

I know this may sound a bit crazy, but if you buy RIGHT, you won't have to worry about late payments on a mortgage because you won't ever personally guarantee any debt.  

We are having trouble figuring out what option(s) make the most sense both in terms of minimizing debt / maximizing cash flow when retired, but not getting in over our heads.The two houses are:1.  

Of, go another route such as buy the debt and perfect title via foreclosure, etc.

@Don Griffith, if you have good credit, income evidence in your tax returns and enough liquidity to cover your debt service, just work with the commercial department of any community bank and they'll be happy to lend to you.

never put houses in ur personal name and never personal guarantee debt, and u cant lose.....

See if there is a RESTORE store in your town. 

I would consider talking to a fire restoration specialist contractor, not just a contractor that says he can fix fire damage.

But, in watching this market the past year, I can't wrap my mind around any strategies that rely on Bay Area rents where they currently stand (or even down 15% ) to cover debt service since I believe that their rapid rise was intimately tied to this cycle tech employment growth. 

She is looking to pay off credit card debt, in addition to a balance of around $18,000 owed to a bail bondsman who is working with her and is willing to release the lien on her property provided that the balance be paid when the loan is dispersed.