You don’t have to go into personal details — just keep it simple:“I’ve been appointed by the county probate court as conservator for [Mother’s Name].

It just wasn't conservative enough. 

If it holds up under conservative estimates, it’s a decent, low-risk first step; if not, keep saving for a stronger dealThank you Denise, I was also considering getting a mortgage as well for this property and don't want to keep some cash liquid.

I really like your sensible and conservative approach to real estate investing.

It shows you understand landlord responsibilities.Be Prepared for Adjustments: The lender will likely use the more conservative "whole-property" rent number for their final DSCR calculation.

This is relying on a 35% expense ratio, which I believe many would argue is conservative and should be higher.Round Number Case Study:$12,000 Monthly Collected rent$4,200 Monthly Expenses (35% Assumption)$7,800 NOI$7,800/$500,000 = 15.6% cap rate

One piece of advice: really get to know the sub-markets (block by block in some areas) and run conservative rental estimates so you don’t get surprised after closing.

Prioritize reliability over rates — pick lenders who close on time, not just quote low.Pad your timelines — plan 45–60 days for financed closings, and keep a private or bridge backup ready.Structure dual offers — one clean cash option for speed, one financed offer with conservative numbers; pivot to creative terms if needed.Start funding early — build lender and private-money conversations before the deal, not after.Stay ready and disciplined — keep docs prepped, underwrite at current rates, and stick to your buy box to avoid chasing marginal deals.Audit your bottleneck — figure out what’s slowing you down most: capital, timelines, or deal conditions—and solve that first.

Quote from @Elealeh Fulmaran: Treat it like raising from partners, not pitching strangers: craft a simple one-pager with your story, buy box, how capital is secured (note, lien, insurance), timeline, and updates cadence; show one real deal with conservative numbers and two exits.

— I prefer RUBS because it:— encourages tenants to conserve water and report leaks quickly,— adjusts automatically when utility rates change, and— keeps my base rent lower in online listings, which helps with marketing.If anyone has firsthand experience or can point me to an official Euclid or Cuyahoga County source on this, I’d really appreciate it.Thanks in advance!