If they can't provide those documents then reduce your offer price to compensate for that value. 

. -- Also it is a two family and I looked up the average rents on rentometer then reduced the rents by 100-200 bucks a month for each unit. 1 unit will be renting for $1500 and the other for $1250.

If buying a place that is a multifamily and living in it would reduce your outgo, that would only help you longer term.Also, run your credit report and see what's keeping your score down.  

As always, remember the public data being utilized may not always be correct.

It's not like they go trolling the public records on every mortgage they hold.

I'm really excited and ready to go out and get my first deal under my belt soon.I am currently a public interest attorney.  

Not sure if a lender will work with you on that, but it would reduce your monthly payment and you might be able to pull some equity out to help with a down payment.Hope this helped.

THEY typically have a business plan in place, but if you can determine (via public record or via the broker) that an REO is or will be owned by one of these firms, you CAN make an offer to them directly. 

Raising money from the public (including friends and family) is a regulated activity and in order to do it properly you need to qualify for an exemption to registration or register.  

If I had to spend my time and money to drive over, not be productive, then listen to someone whine that the carpet isn't the same shade as the advertisement and try and reduce the rent, I would likely charge as well.