You can bank on that.

But you should be able to find a local bank, or other investor would would be willing to finance a stable property with equity at lower than HML but more than traditional rates. 

@Joe VilleneuveMakes sense, and I’ve heard this before, but I had a hard time making a step by step plan until I just recently listened to a BP podcast that explained how to do just that in good detail.

I still have cash in the bank, but not enough to dish out another $30K in more downpayments & closing costs without going house poor.

Let them put a few thousand dollars down and you act as the bank, at least get a few hundred bucks every month and in these situations you can usually charge a few bucks for the house.

Banks are going to be your best option for loan amounts under $1mm.

I am however banking on rent appreciation.

We also felt that the realtor  would roadblock us by not submitting offers that in their opinion was, "too low and the bank wouldn't take that" and was attempting to get us to pay for homes that we felt were too high, for their own personal gain on return. 

I hear people say they bought their first property, maybe they say they bought it with cash or some sort of financing, but I never really see any numbers that go along with it.I currently have $25k saved in the bank. 

Be creative with the price and tinanciñg and do not suggest a bank unless they are  very qualified.