Most of the conventional methods of rental shopping yielded nothing in my price range.

I don't think it is wise to limit who your contacts may become based on if they invest or not.Matt, I understand your point about keeping the best deals for themselves, especially in markets with thin inventory, but there are still markets with enough inventory that a broker can keep all of the good deals for themselves unless they have infinite capital.

I work with a very serious cash buyer, looking to scoop up any inventory we get!

I have the cash to go do a conventional loan too but why use up all my cash when I can go FHA?

BTW a bank does not have to make a loan - but packaging mortgages was the most lucrative business - which of course led to the crash - banks did not care to whom they loaned - they made so much money on the tranches, they just needed to keep inventory coming so they could sell it to the stupid well heeled investors - it is mainly the banks that brought the crisis to us, by not having to make a buck - by lowering their criteria and lending to people they clearly should not - but as they had no skin in the game once it was tranched so who cares!

I had just closed on my 9th property (using conventional financing) earlier in the month when I gave my notice. 

If I am able to get funds for a property from a private investor, but it is short term funds and I need to pay them off in less than a year, what are my options to refinance other than a conventional bank? 

I'm in Rock Hill and the inventory seems to be really tight!

You need to have your tax returns analysed by a competent broker or banker to see what income can be used even when it's not regular wages or sales.As soon as you get out of the homepath, FHA, conventional options, the portfolio options kick in.

That says a lot of good things about Atlanta RE, only problem is finding properties before the "quants" working for the big investors find them.Competition for conventional real-estate listings is particularly fierce in Atlanta, where the six largest institutional buyers own more homes than in any other market, according to RentRange.Oakland, Calif.