There are several things here -1. 3-4 unit properties require a self-sufficiency test, which could impact your down payment requirements as that could change the max loan amount that they can lend on.

Everything in SEO should be natural and nothing should be forced.

(2) Does anyone have any best practices or tips on dealing with rental properties and tenants that have been impacted by a natural disaster?

My wife and I are MTR owners and operators that really only use MTR arbitrage when we are at capacity in the units we own, and we have potential residents who would otherwise be forced to stay at extended care motels or similar.

We've owned them for 20-plus years but the recent property tax increases have negatively impacted our cash flow as have major repairs such as roof replacements, AC units, etc.

Do you think this will impact my ability to rent the property?

My goal would be to get two of these with 25% down on both and still have some leftover to update my current primary residence to build forced equity. 

You as the buyer also have rights under fair lending and you should never be forced to use a builders lender. 90% of the time lenders drop the ball and end up not being able to close on time or their overlays cost the buyer the deal and in some cases earnest money.I would walk away from a deal that forces you to put $50K in earnest and use some generic lender who may not even be able to close the deal.

Here's my primary reasons:Expenses disproportionately impact lower rent collecting properties For illustration purposes compare two identically designed 1+1 duplexes in the same market.  

@Stephen Hood your idea is solid and shows good potential, but here are a few things to consider:Private Lender Terms: Ensure the lender agrees to the 1% origination fee and $2K monthly payments—some may require a higher interest rate or balloon payment at the end.Timeline for Sale: Factor in potential delays with selling your current property or completing renovations on the new one, as these could impact your refinance timeline.Refinance Feasibility: Confirm with lenders that refinancing at $500K is realistic, especially after recent rate increases and appraisal expectations.Exit Plan: Have a backup plan in case the market shifts or repairs take longer than expected, such as extending the private loan or bridging with a HELOC.If you can lock in favorable private loan terms and stay realistic about costs and timelines, this could work well.