As far as FCF, there are tons of good books out there for tips and tricks, including some BP books, and they basically come down to increasing rents, reducing expenses (especially utilities, possibly with RUBS), and reducing vacancy. 

Hi Biggerpockets community, aside from the basics, what tips and tricks / life hacks have you employed to raise seed capital for your investments in the past/present?

Then, the trick is being a landlord worthy of good a tenant.

The trick is recognizing and exploiting those opportunities.

Any tips or tricks?  

Ah, but the trick is to pay the 2.1 as if it were 3.5, then if rates do move, you are fine.  

A simple excel spreadsheet will do the trick.

Since they're less than cooperative is the trick just to be politely persistent and keep asking or is there something specific i should be saying/doing?

Make sure your EMD is refundable...sometimes they trick you!

Chris - thank you for sharing...noted.Nick - I guess that's where I'm confused as to what my options might in fact be...a lease-option might very well do the trick, as your example plays out and does exactly what we need it to...I think the hurdle for me here will be for me to convince her of waiting several years for "option" to kick in...unless there is a way for me to dictate that to her???