.#3 Mix it up with some other investors at REIA meetings in your area and see if they have alternatives to the 20%. 

An Alternative Approach to Appraisal Gap Coverage Current State of the Residential MarketAfter the financial crisis of ’08, the eligibility criteria to buy a home in the United States became more difficult to adhere to, while the astronomical rise of student debt and the cost of healthcare acted as catalysts in the continuously mounting wealth disparity in our country.

Alternatively, you can do that with Hard Money - though the fees are a lot higher that way.Yes it's more risky than a loan-contingency, in the sense that you may not get the mortgage after you bought it -- but we've done this multiple times, we have a good relationship with our mortgage lender, and actually have a number of lenders now who can help us with this.

However, they can certainly choose to be more lenient than a conventional lender would be so it can be a good alternative route to financing.

I am looking for alternatives/offline marketing ideas, like banners, bus stop signs, person on corner twirling a sign etc.What is something you currently do or have seen done "offline"  to drive residents to your property? 

My concern with the more expensive property is that it would eat up most of my savings, preventing me from purchasing another property unless I find an alternative financing source.

Everything is fairly close together, great schools, new developments, and much less expensive than the nearby alternatives.

Is the 30337 zip code an area that would be desirable for aspiring actors and actresses to rent as an alternative to higher priced apartments smack dab in the middle of the action in Atlanta?

The funds can be used to make alternative investments, but can't be used by you personally for your own benefits now.Even better option will be to move the funds into truly self-directed Solo 401k plan (this plan is not for everyone but being real estate agent you are considered self-employed and will qualify for it).

It is a lot more complicated and costs money compared to Stessa, but the alternative of missed deductions and potential IRS problems is a lot worse.