I'm interested in finding a private lender that can assist me with the purchase of some residential properties and a couple apartment buildings in the Atlanta area.

Perhaps you are referring to the listing Realtor and not someone who you hired to help you find a home.The problem from a conventional financing standpoint is that you have multiple residences on one legal description which makes this a multi-family property beyond the "normal" 1-4 unit residences acceptable to conventional lenders. 2)What is typically done to avoid making a down-payment and/or paying closing costs.If you are asking specific to this property, there probably is no 100% financing option available so you may have to pass on this one.Generally speaking there are many programs for little or no down-payment and you should be talking to a mortgage lender about what you can afford and qualify for prior to looking at homes.As for closing costs, you may qualify for city or county down-payment assistance programs (which are more typically used for closing costs instead of down-payment).

I am just curious about this area and am very new to investing. Are there programs available through the state or Federal Gov't that can be a starting point for someone who does not have a substantial amount of income...

I think when you crunch numbers you are going to find the cash flow goals you seek to be very difficult to come by in your first 5 years.

Case in point, a couple of years ago I was a newbie seeking investment properties in Houston, TX when I came across a prospect I could not pass up.

Hello to everyone, Im recently in the process of buying my first investment property( a duplex) and I am currently seeking financing.

I would be happy to assist.

I don't know if i'm going about this all in the correct manner - that's why I'm seeking your advice!

I recently started a home improvement company - albeit mostly to get my sparsely-employed-as-of-late-contractor-boyfriend off the couch..( He is great at what he does, not so at sales, marketing, follow up, paperwork, keeping books, which I am now handling, along with some light assistance to actual physical work)...Anyway I'm starting my first rehab shortly and was planning to just do the work (it's a light job) between he, I and maybe another guy we know.

Seek out his postings from the last 3 months and carefully digest what he says.But also read what all the pros say.