My wife and I have no children, but she has some pretty severe medical issues and cannot work so I've learned to become very disciplined with our money as I'm the only income source right now aside from selling auto and homeowners insurance on the side.Now for the mortgage info: we purchased our home for right at 185k in 2017 and currently owe 174k. 

The screening I use also includes balances on credit cards, auto loans, etc...

Setup an auto message to notify  you of any new rental listings.

Then change out all of the mechanicals, plumbing, electrical,....

Leasor pays for all furnishings including appliances( not mechanical items such as furnace, AC, or water heater.Set the requirements of your lease terms high enough to give you the net ROI you want as a passive investor.

Some contractors it's not unusual to get some kind of deposit (HVAC, for example), but in most places mechanic's liens aren't that much trouble so contractors have built-in protection.

Construction materials still tended to be good quality (wood flooring, floor joists, etc) and mechanical systems started to be updated.

I am in an interesting spot where I don’t qualify for traditional loans and am asking for advise on what my options are for my future.Here is a brief summary of where I am at:I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering and specialize in working and operating shipping vessels where I worked for a couple years.

For example, framing new rooms is always done before plumbing, mechanical and electrical work if and when each applies to the room(s) you are creating.

I have very good credit, no auto loan and no serious credit debt (under $1K) which is very recent, so I am now saving but I do not want to be stagnant.I know there are way more experienced investors than me out there so I am just trying to gain guidance on my options.