Something to note, if you pay cash for the house and later require access to those funds, utilizing a HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) allows you to retrieve that money.Secondly, the right approach for investing depends on several factors.

Once you know what is required, then you can discuss options with tenant as some may prefer a rent credit if they can stay with family or friends while others actually need a place to stay.

Path—-> Pull your own credit at MyFICO so you have a starting point. 

For rehab, credit cards and home depot/lowes credit can help.Does the Rehab have to be done upfront? 

My biggest issue is that my credit most recently took a hit, dropped 100 points from 740-640.

If there is money left at closing, that amount is typically credited to the borrower as well.I hope that helps!

It's worth considering the credit rating of an insurance company and how long they've been in business. 

If you are talking about a real estate investment business in hopes of getting some kind of "business credit lines", that likely will not happen no matter what you do.

The applicant turned out to have a record and really bad credit as well as zero references....

I have plans for land I want to purchase to build self-sustaining animal sanctuaries with vet services, growing food for them.Also more land to build self-sustaining low income/homeless developments, with career assistance, training, garden including growing vegetables to get them on their feet and possibly into home ownership when they move on if they wish it and they can also pay it forward.