Hiring an extra person does not seem like the right step.

In most cases, the lender will require the person who is providing the capital to sign for the mortgage.

@Neil SmithPull a list from the auditor of what you're looking to call, load it into a dialer, call the numbers and ask to speak with the owner (their first name) - Introduce yourself by being personable (Who you are(first and last name - age/background), where you're from(local guy), and get straight to the point - why you want to buy and if they're interested in hearing an offer on their property - it's like a quick handshake over the phone. 

Have I personally advised clients on alternative financing transactions? 

One maintenance person can stop by 4 properties in one day to take care of issues.

Personally, I prefer purchasing a property that is not new construction.

My personal favorite is "The Unofficial Guide to Real Estate Investing" by Spencer Strauss.

Reasonable accommodation does not extend to allowing safety issues to go unresolved or personal property to be damaged. 

So if I buy a replacement property worth $500k, can I use proceeds from the personal residence half to cover the other $150k?

You can look it up yourself, but maybe just maybe the person that installed the tile didn’t take that precaution and now the install failed.