Those programs typically require that you live in the property for at least 1 year, which might not be the worst thing.Can you raise private money through friends and family?

Try the school bulletin board with tear-off phone number cards, and be sure you are listing on all the available listings sites (zillow, trulia, apartments, rentpath, etc).

If you have any credit card debt, use the HELOC to consolidate your credit card debt (don't acquire any more debt), which will increase your credit score and reduce the interest rate on your new home. 

This ain't so hard, i said to myself, i'll just leave my card, then on to the next one.

I hope you have a stack of her or his business cards and hand them to FTHB owner occupant friends that are thinking of buying homes to live in).Typically once an REI has several deals under their belt, they arrive at Daniel's position and go that route.

Depending on your risk level you can simply use credit cards/401k as cash emergency reserves.Lastly, adjust reserves accordingly based on future expected CapEx needs

I run into similar issues as I'm currently trying to raise over $1M for real estate opportunities.

I decided to live at home after graduating this past December to pay off all "frivolous" debt, Ie credit cards and such from college.

@Ryan Herald  Ya I screw up on the rules all the time.. yes you need to have a pro account I believe and put an add in Market place.but friends and family would be a great play for this... 300k is not much to raise on a 3 mil buy..

I started my life in 1956 and was born and raised in Dallas Texas.Good luck to you!