I want to fix my past teenage mistakes and better my score.

Having an excellent credit score will be crucial to getting a bank mortgage.Whether you live in one side of the 2 family or rent them both out is based on your housing situation, but perhaps you can live in one half and rent out the extra bedrooms on your side?  

The move has put me in a much more stable place financially but of course my credit score will take a hit for the duration. 

Awesome testimony Andrew Davis The house is big and for that price, good score and I learnt something from your story that I will take into consideration when I do a deal...that there are times to offer higher than asking price to seal a deal if there is a lot of competition so thank you so much for sharing and all the best with the project as a whole!

Eventually I'll take some time off work to go, but right now I'm focused on saving money and improving my credit score and continuing my education.

I think you are asking for your credit record or FICO score?

my credit score is 700

Got approved for a loan, EASILY (excellent credit score, lots of assets, GOOD income in a stable field-nursing) but I didn't get the first house I bid on, went to bid on a second house and hit a snag with that lender, talked to another lender who didn't approve of my working in home health, got approved by a third lender who said yeah no problem we can approve you for that second property then recanted his statement first saying that he didn't realize it was a multi-unit (BULLS**T.

Credit score?

The seller is happy because they'll be able to rescue their credit score and some equity.The problem is finding a title company to close the deal.