Basically, because my estimated timeline before purchase is 12-36 months then that isn't very long term and thus I wouldn't be riding the "general upward slope of the economy" but would rather be subject to whatever short term market conditions come my way. 

I purchased a single family in May '17 as my primary residence shortly before listening to BP podcasts and researching real estate.

I am looking for any recommendations to lenders that do not require or have a very short seasoning period for rental properties. that service the Cincinnati area.

LOL Russell when I got an email alert from a moderator I figured you were in here telling me to stop being such a smartass ;) ;) and yes, regardless of when the market turns if you're buying up cheap debt that will make you tons of money for the next 30 years then the next short term downcycle will be largely irrelevant.

This way they could carry the note for a short time, and then get a balloon; In a sense, they would kind of be like a private lender, getting interest only payments, until the refinance occurs. 

I actually plan on living in here for a short term while the market for this rebounds post flood. 

@Jake K. please don't believe the hype that wholesaling is the best option if you are short on funds.

Hey BP,I have converted a couple long term rental units to short term in 2017 and plan to convert several more in 2018.  

The short answer to your question is that if the property does not have equity, then you will not be able to refinance it - unless you bring funds to closing.

The goal is to pay off the house ASAP so we can have a stable income when my wife and I retire in the next 15-20 yearsLet me know your thoughts or questions by leaving a comment.Here’s a short video I made on the renovation process: