I've talked to numerous banks to try and get the loan and we're struggling to secure financing due to the fact that to many indivuals would be on the moratage.  

We've got a great opportunity to capitalize on more people coming here, businesses moving here, lower priced options vs neighboring metros, stable and growing appreciation, a supply/demand imbalance in favor of the investor, current mortgage rates, and a plethora of other elements that make this one of the best Real Estate markets in the country.

Those will all provide numerous resources and then I would have conversations with multiple parties until you find people you are comfortable with that have a proven track record.

I don't want the theoretical answer, I want the answer when the same key elements we both are starting with, are actually applied to generate the actual dollars.

Lastly, I've posted about this numerous before, but it's risky doing business with strangers on the internet.  

But when you own rental property, there are numerous categories of expenses - non-separated utilities that you as the owner might have to pay, vacancy, repairs, lawncare, property management, taxes, insurance, turnover / showing costs, etc. - and mortgage / financing is just one of them.  

If anyone can give me any advice about investing in this area, during this time frame with the covid element, or any general knowledge going into my first rental property purchase, it would be much appreciated.

I can invest in numerous other areas.

"To know and not do, is to not know" -- one of my favorite quotes from Neo–Confucian philosopher Wang YangmingBefore I bought my first rental, I read Rich Dad Poor Dad, The Millionaire Real Estate Investor, Build A Rental Property Empire, BRRRR, The Book on Rental Property Investing— numerous books.

Since I am out of state investing, its not as easy as asking the tenants if a security deposit was collected and the selling agent has been asked numerous times to retrieve this information but to no avail.Any suggestions would be appreciated.