there are other lending programs that would not require this but if you are wanting the best programs agency debt then @Janelle Groenhout has the right idea

Best Regards,RyanSome things to consider include house hacking, BRRRR, or combining the two.I will cover the combined...  

So you may be pleasantly surprised at what your true numbers might show when you combine tax savings, the opportunity to invest that tax for a return,  and the comparison between DST and REIT returns.

I have zero debt of any kind.

The bank that gave us this commercial loan looks at the debt-service cover ratio (DSCR) and didn't care that the down payment was a gift from a family member.

Does the negative balance indicate that there is a unpaid taxes debt to the county (meaning, if I see debt in the county account it should be referring to the same debt)?

Or, they are not telling you about the other predictions that did not work out as planned.If you are really worried about a market, use less debt.

As of right now we are heavily focused on being debt free so we are limited with cash.

The only debt I have is my car loan. 

I have zero consumer debt and no car payments, as I have a company vehicle.1.