All new clothes all the time, carwash at least twice a week, put styling gel in his hair.

Use a stainless 'slinky' style flue liner--lifetime guarantee. 

If you find you're unable to get something right away due to your credit or income situation, you may still be able to acquire your first place creatively via a lease/option, seller financing or buying a place 'subject-to' the existing financing, plus there's always hard or private money however either of the last two would require having 'take-out' financing lined up in advance, which might be a stumbling block.

If you want suggestions, contact me via private message.

Outside of portfolio loans (great option), here are a couple other options for growth:Raise private money to purchase dealsPay down the mortgage on one property with the snowball method.

Depending on the design style of your area you might be able to get away with the "industrial" look of a polished concrete floor but putting even 1/2in drywall on the ceiling is going to push you out of compliance.

I compare my services to those of the "competition" and the private Landlord: online payments, solid screening, no evictions in 5 years, over 340 rentals under management, member of NARPM and higher code of ethics, etc.3.

Purchase price: $185,000 7 unit townhome style

Or are you a hard money/private money lender as well. 

I have dealt with both and @Darrin Carey is something of a hybrid between hard and private money.