I know some mentioned about developing banking relationships and I totally agree with that, so here is what you do. 1) Open a business checking account in the name of your LLC to hold the assets. 2) Deposit your cash into that account to fund the real estate purchases3) After owning for 60-90 days, talk with a local lender about a line of credit against the 2 properties at 60% LTV. 4) After about 30-45 days, have the line open to use if you need that liquidity that you used, but until then you are not paying 7% interest on nothing. 

Will he co-sign on loans from banks or private lenders, or will he just say, call 15 banks?

If the rate is reasonable then it may make sense to try to save fast to get to the 3.5% down payment on a double or triple - househacking may allow you to increase your savings rate and pay down that loan even faster.As for estimating costs, closing in NY factor at least 1% of the mortgage amount for tax, plus $1500-2000 for lawyer, title and fees, then the amount required by the bank for escrow will depend on the actual property taxes and insurance.

@Haiden Welch I'd lean into local banks and credit unions.

As of my last update in April 2023, the definition of an accredited investor includes, but is not limited to, the following:Income: Individuals who have had an income of more than $200,000 (or $300,000 together with a spouse) for the past two years and expect the same for the current year.Net Worth: Individuals with a net worth exceeding $1 million, either alone or together with a spouse, excluding the value of the person's primary residence.Insiders: Directors, executive officers, and general partners of the company selling the securities.Professional Experience: Certain professional certifications, designations, or credentials or other credentials issued by an accredited educational institution may allow an individual to be considered accredited.Knowledgeable Employees: In the case of private funds, "knowledgeable employees" of the fund are also considered accredited investors.Institutions: Banks, partnerships, corporations, nonprofits, and trusts with assets exceeding $5 million.By imposing these criteria, Regulation D is meant to ensure that all participants in such an offering are capable of fending for themselves or sustaining the risk of loss, thus requiring less regulatory protection.Under Rule 506(c), it is not enough for an investor to simply claim accredited status.

@Dan Dares TMYou can use your familyMember but they will need to be a part of the deal and the bank will most likely want them to personally guarantee the loan.

Since this is my first go around - I'd really appreciate advice on the following:- any references on lawyers /firms to work with to go through the Barment and foreclosure process without breaking the bank.- Ball park ranges - what can I expect the cost of this process to be?

The lender Bank was being bought by a larger and needed the non-performing loan off of the books made the deal even sweeter. 

My understanding is the key is to keep separate bank accounts and financial transactions.

So far I keep hearing about Titan and Solera banks but they only offer checking with no interest.