s Lease Option "creative REI solution" idea, I worry people forget about the Due on Sale clause it can potentially trigger.

I also find large apartment buildings to be more reliable.

Please accept my apology for that.I'm another person who's looking to create a solution - for buying a house I want to make the home for me and my family.The house is stuck in a typical (it seems) real estate mess.  

Here's a snapshot of my situation:No moneyRebuilding creditVeteran with VA Home loan (although credit is not there)Are there any creative solutions for purchasing a duplex in my situation.

I don't know how reliable they are though

I have recently been considering this option as a way to get a rental income and even know of a broker that offers turn-key solutions.

There are probably solutions, but may be too expensive to be worth it. 

Not sure what rate he got 5 years ago, but my guess is it is probably lower than what he can get now as an investor.3) If he sells his Fort Collins house, he will need to pay realtor fees, perhaps as much as 6%, which can significantly impact his purchasing and leveraging power going forward.4) He might try renting out his Fort Collins home first and see what he can reliably get for it. 

If they are trust worthy and reliable, which you should already know by contacting their previous landlord, then they should have no problem with a M2M lease.Bad tenants will never agree to sign a M2M lease. 

If a HELOC is the right solution, a big box bank is the way to go, even though the process really sucks.