When I saw the other unit and it was torn up, I lowed my price to $255,000 and the deal was accepted.

Can you qualify with IRS income taxes, credit and 80% loan to value non owner in the future?

Never estimate low!

It feels like one requires the other...refi requires good credit...good credit requires the refi...Does someone have some insights as to how to do a home equity line of credit based on an appraisal and with a low credit score?  

I can add my mortgage, retirement accounts, income, bank accounts and credit card accounts.

There is no perfect data source maybe short of the uber expensive Lexus-Nexus that attorneys use that is direct to the credit bearus.

The best part about Reno / Tahoe Nevada are it's landlord friendly, Real estate taxes don’t reassess on the sale, insurance is low and we continue to have increased in migration, jobs (no state income tax) and our own land constraint issues which prevent the market from getting overbuilt. 

I hope you still plan to screen her properly, credit check, and check with her previous landlords, (not the last one).

Since I am self-employed, I will likely be looking at hard money lenders (HMLs), non-QM lenders (bank statement loans, DSCR loans, and small, local, regional banks and credit unions.

The cost of entry is low while the cash flow is high.