The same lender said if they could come up with the other 5% they can go 30 year fixed interest only..This is more attractive for cash flow on a higher loan balance but will still be qualified based on the fully amortized rate and payment. 

Ideally we would like to cash flow or at bare minimum break even.

I bought a house with cash from pulling a heloc on my home, off market, unappraised (deal was a no brainer in a great part of town.) 

Are you saying you will actually need to possess the 20% difference in cash to bring to the first mortgage closing?

A good starting point will be to pair with a with nationwide lender (if not all cash), check in with @Joseph Chiofalo for financing without a US credit score. 

I assume this allow them to come to closing with less cash down. 

Or, that’s too much of a stretch since my mom is essentially an extension of me?

Apparently our DTI is too high for the HELOC so we can do a cash out refi but that is less desirable because it means we cannot then get the loan for the rental property despite having 25% down.

We have 5 Duplexes that we’re looking to cash out refi.

If I do find something, it is usually because it is priced according to condition, but once you value add and bring it up, you've now spent more cash.