My biggest suggestion is to thoroughly vet property management companies here—they can make or break your investment in some cases.Regarding your questions about financing properties, I’d recommend reaching out to @Ko Kashiwagi.

Still narrowing things down, so I’d appreciate any recommendations!

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

We share best management practices, systems & tools, and our networks.

This process makes sense from a plumber that wants to make more money.Putting a cleanout at the lowest point (curb) is not recommended in most cases. 

Nothing illegal about doing that, but if caught, the lender may call the loan due and if you don't correct the situation or pay the loan off, they willstart mortgage foreclosure.3) You could also go the HELOC route to tap the equity in the home, but the 12-month owner-occupancy will also apply AND the interest rate on the HELOC will fluctuate with the Fed Fund Rate.4) You could do a cashout refi as an investment property, but that will be at an interest rate 0.5-1% higher than owner-occupied rate.Suggest you meet with 2-3 lenders to explore your options about the above.Once you have access to funds, recommend you buy a 2-4 unit with 20-25% down. - You can buy owner-occupied, live in one unit, and fix up and rent the other unit(s).- If you're handy, recommend buying a property in the worst condition you can tolerate.

I definitely don't recommend renting to a friend.

To start your journey, I recommend focusing on building your network by joining meetups and engaging in online forums, while narrowing down your first investment based on your budget, market, and goals.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

If not, I do not recommend sheriff sales as a first attempt.