Getting prequalified for a loan is free (or should be) and usually is a soft credit check. 

https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/48/topics/1159104-overl...It will take a creative strategy or a combination of creative strategies to actually cash flow.Same thing here in Pittsburgh. 

Think of it this way, your own personal credit is tied to your SSN and you can improve it by utilizing credit whether that is credit cards, loans from a bank, or mortgages. 

Think of it as a portfolio mortgage and a first mortgage combined in one step to give enough security to have a low/no down payment for the new property. 

Have you explored any bank statement loan options ? 

Combine the two by doing a BRRR on a house-hack!

I also serve in the Georgia National Guard so I have access to the VA loan.

I've dabbled in traditional real estate since 2009 and investor RE loan products as well as conduct due diligence for private lenders leveraging their cash.

The fact that with a Texas series LLC you can file ONE tax return for every sub LLC in the series combined, and operate out of ONE bank account, eliminates almost all of the “hassle” of utilizing a series LLC vs one regular LLC into which you place many properties.  

Talk to a few F&F lenders about % of ownership requirements to be the guarantor, and if there's a % of ownership which REQUIRES you to be a guarantor on the loan. you can avoid this headache by being strategic as to how the loan (and the LLC) is structured while you wait for your scores to improve again.