There's a lot of unknown factors here

Is crime rate a factor to consider when buying a property in a particular area?

Part of it is how I present it to my parents as well and that would be a much more expensive development project than one house for myself and them.

I live in a development where there is a ton of house rehabbing taking place just don't know where to start!

You can buy a smaller multifamily and use an asset based, commercial loan, where DTI is not a factor.

Only making 5,000 dollars feels like a defeat but it made me realize that I need to develop a laser focus on what I hope to accomplish. 

You should consider several factors: 1) Time frame/urgency to get a loan 2) Loan amount 3) Lowest interest rate.It's very unlikely you can get all three.

However, I'm a techie by nature, so most of my time is spent learning how to program in various computer languages as well as develop websites and apps for individuals and small businesses looking to brand themselves online.WHY REAL ESTATE? 

The Sponsor could be the original developer of the condo or someone that purchased the original developer's interest or a subsequent sponsor's interest.

My commissions have more than paid for then license and allowed me to spend a little more on deals than I normally would have since I get to factor in the commissions.