The good news is that you, as the borrower, would be able to discuss the property, great sales comps, and highlight it's improvements (if any) and put it in the best light as possible to help influence the appraisal.

Our tenant just moived out and made several unauthorized changes to our house, including installing a Ring doorbell (which was removed, leaving two large holes drilled into the brick) and installing an outlet and ethernet connection on the wall above the fireplace (which he sighted as an improvement, but I'm not sure most renters will install a 40+ in mounted tv, making it an eyesore on the mantle wall in my opinion).

We have taken a couple new photos to show improvements but many of the stages photos are still applicable. 

It does make sense, but a recent trend has been that more and more developers of larger housing units have relationships with large capital groups that buy up that inventory as soon as it's built. 

So in light of recent events the chances of a smart seller doing their own financing may improve over past practice.Another form of seller financing is called a Contract for Deed. 

However, I want to find more deals in a market that seems to have shrinking inventory.

@Jeremiah StrubleProfit/Loss Statement from the last 12 months (also known as the trailing 12), last year's P&L, and rent roll/occupancy with lease start/end dates.Then ask what improvements have been done over the last five or ten years and what needs to be done in the next five years.These are decent conversation starters if you can get all of the answers. 

It sounds like you're already going in the right direction by working a stable job and improving your credit.

You would buy the home with 10% using hard money, improve it and refinance the existing lien using the new appraised value( will the lender allows using the new value on a R/T refi without a waiting period).  

They also weren't the best to communicate with but this was during quarantine so maybe its improved.