What I need help with, is a couple of good ideas how to set up and structure deal, when essentially party A (myself) is finding, buying,  and managing the property.

A proven history of responsibility and ability to pay bills on time trumps a credit report that essentially states that the person has too high of a debt to income ratio.

I got creative by installing an exterior door in the right place to essentially turn it into a duplex: airbnb in the main house thru the front door and a simple mother-in-law apartment where I lived entering thru the side door.

Gates Mills & Bratenahl are essentially irrelevant to 99.9% of those looking into the Cleveland market from out of town.

@JoJo Tucker Take a look at the Greater Houston Partnership's website: https://www.houston.org/Some really great info on the economy. i like them because when something is wrong [oil and gas layoffs] they don't ignore it or run from it.

I'm essentially making a SFH house into a duplex with this garage conversion.  ...just wondering if it's worth going with gas (for dryer, tankless water heater, range). 

I would also suggest hiring a local photographer (ask your realtor) to shoot quality photos, that is essential!

In the letter, the lawyer indicated that she did not do any damages to the unit, that she left the oil tank with more oil in it than had been in it to start and that we should make the tenant a reasonable accommodation by not charging her for the back rent or the re-leasing fee.

For example, one GC has provided us with an estimate for the project, but it includes items like $22,000 for a trash enclosure, which is non-essential to me.The current rate for rebar enforced concrete slab is $13/sq ft per this GC.Building costs seem to be going up so fast that older posts on this topic seem already outdated and inaccurate.

It sounds like essentially you have a lack of funding problem.