@Brian Knox I am not sure what happened but if B of A owns it, or for that matter HUD, you are wasting you time trying to do a deal.

If you fail to disclose the loan from the seller to your primary lender, then you might run into issues at closing or be in a bad position if the lender ever finds out down the road.Assuming your primary lender is okay with the owner financing, the closing company should be able to complete the paperwork at closing for a minimal cost (maybe $50-$100).

Good agents blow WEEKS trying to sell your property and often times they can get your home to sell for more than you can alone.You can have a whole bunch interview with you and then pick the best bang for your buck (don't stiff them too hard, they waste tons of time since it's their job) If you go do it yourself like a few mentioned, get a purchase agreement and expect a rush of calls/showings if you priced it right.

I've been getting a lot of quotes and these contractors seem to think a 40% waste factor is what it's going to take to get the job done..

I started with these two companies because I've heard a lot of great things about them over many posts and their respective CEO's have contributed greatly to many posts here at BP.Birmingham looks promising, population growth (while minimal) seems stable, lots of new economic activities and projects developing that will help spark the economy.Dallas/Houston surrounded by great companies however Im afraid it might be harder to find properties in these markets that have been quite hot for sometime now.

. :)  So you get minimal help on learning good negotiating and actually being good at following deadlines and understanding how to protect your client (yourself) in a transaction. 

Jack Smith you waste no time!

So I'll get it up to $2100 minimum for the three units while living in one (basically that would cash flow me 300 plus the rent I am currently wasting) also I plan to rent out the other room of the unit I'll be living in for an additional 400.

You may not get to live completely "rent-free", but the idea is to be able to acquire property that will cash-flow when you move out & minimize your living expenses in the meantime.  

So here's my primary dilemma right now - we have good credit, and solid incomes (above average for the area) - is there a traditional financing option for me that requires a minimal down payment for multifamily investment properties?