Why not try to get a mortgage for nice big expensive house (providing you can handle the repayments) then sell up when the market is good and buy nice run down old house . Thats what i've done with refurbishing a few on the way and i'm just waiting to sell now
. Its freed up bout 30 grand then i'm doing the modular route whilst still working to pay off the beast of a mortgage.
Also if you put your initial sum of money from the sale into a HSBC account they'll jump at a chance to give you the loan . They love that "you scratch my back and i'll rape you of all your assests if it fails" kinda approach
BP