Go for a seller / owner contract they use to be very  popular  and still are for bare land. Offer a good price and a descent % payment monthly to the seller on a non penalty early  buy out on a 5 year loan if  the property isin  trouble then the seller maybe  worried   about their credit and are willing to get it sold.

Offer as little down as you can  and get a warranty deed so you can  use the amount  of sale as your own equity and get a loan on the  property  fix it  up and generate income or after 3 years go to the original seller and offer  them cash for a 20% reduction of the  original purchase( that should be the value in  the mortgage paper industry)price by then it  should be loanable