Prepaid programming and other media has made it known what RE investors do so most when dealing with an investor understand it is just that...investing, I spell out in contracts that I have the right to assign, market, sell, etc. and if Seller has an issue with any of it, I will generally compromise to a point of there comfort and it all works out.

I think the minimum now is 640 or a little less depending on the program.

You need to understand what your wanting to accomplish 1st, is it residential or commercial, and then chase down the lender that has the program that meets your goals.

@Andy Robison City owns a house next to one of my rental properties. city's house is a board up that they have unsuccessfully tried to sell through the "scope" program. the reason they cant sell it are the requirements the scope program maintains.

I would refund the deposit amount in the lease - minus any claim - to the tenant and chalk up the difference to a life lesson.I am glad you circulated Estoppel Certificates to the tenants.  

Also look into more than one way to invest in real estate, roll the money from one to other, I use handyman business to improve skills and fund my flips, rentals, or tax liens/certificates.  

I have experience with grant writing, entitlement programs, and years of service with the government.

The second is a lot of the places we requested Quotes from have been telling us there are no fixed rate programs for investment properties, or if they do have them they are far greater then current interest rates.Does anyone have a contact or someone they can recommend in the Upstate New York (Binghamton Area) for Funding and/or insight on these matters above?

Obtaining copies of the application and background checks may require the tenants consent - here in Canada, it would be a violation of federal privacy law for the Vendor to simply had them over.One thing Kevin omitted, and why you need the leases before the end of your diligence period, is to prepare an estoppel certificate for each tenant using the information obtained from the lease, then meet with the tenant to affirm the information and to discover any other material facts (i.e. side agreements, pets unknown to Vendor, etc) and have the tenant sign the estoppel.  

I found the Phil Pustejovsky Freedom Mentor program which seems unique but I am reading a lot of interesting feedback.