Purely based on the fact that may be similar to yours, but I just did not need to own, and am comfortable living in a one bedroom apartment as my the more expensive properties are being paid down though my renters. 

If a private lender would feel comfortable to lend to you then expect a rate of 10% or so.  

If you are looking to house hack at a certain price point and don't like the neighborhoods where the opportunities are, that tells you that your price point is not yet high enough for your comfort level.

What could you do to get out of your comfort zone?

I'm also divorced and pay a nice chunk of child support.In order to rent a decent place until my kids are a little older (14 and 17 right now) I rent a 3 bedroom unit in a rental complex. 

Once you are comfortable and have enough for the downpayment and sufficient reserves, get started! 

Determine how much you're comfortable spending before it's not worth chasing anymore. 

I would like to do the same thing and was listening to this brain health webinar where a doctor (Evan Brand) who lives on a farm told of a patient of his who lived on a farm growing up and as a child would play outside and airplanes would fly overhead dropping glyphosate, presumably on whatever they wanted to kill and it messed up her microbiome. 

My husband and I would love to take over their mortgage payment to take over this burden for them, while they still live comfortably in the home.

You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain by pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.Good luck!