Buying a MLS listing is probably a no go ,if you find a private sell or a similar way that would be the best way to purchase a property in todays climate.

I am also a lender, with Chase Bank, but want to expand my knowledge on hard money and private financing options.

You can also do this on a refinance.Else, you can find private money, take out a HELOC if you have a lot of equity, go hard money and then refinance after, or see if your preferred builder offers financing.

What's more, the PM should have gone over when the unit was vacant to make sure it was secure (and lights and taps were turned off). 

-When a tenant moved out, the management company refunded their security deposit but failed to account for damage, such as holes in walls and outlets ripped off the walls, leaving me with repair bills and also tenants moving in without the repairs being done.Stuff like this that is consistent and when I ask questions they are defensive, when I ask for more quotes for high ticket items they are defensive. 

I included stats on percent unleveraged purchases and that many of those fairly low percent cash purchases in fact use unseen leverage HML, private lending, etc and some are short term cash holds such as a flip or a brrrr that gets financed not long after purchase.  

I’m not claiming to know it all—I’m here to learn, build relationships, and grow.Here’s what I bring to the table:A strong understanding of leveraging Net Operating Income (NOI) to secure financing and reduce out-of-pocket costs.Experience in negotiating deals and identifying opportunities, especially in the LA market where many multi-family properties are under $2 million.Skills in managing larger properties, from scheduling repairs and upgrades to optimizing operations for long-term value.The ability to use AI tools for data analysis, market insights, and deal projections to help us act quickly and efficiently.I’ll be upfront—my funds are limited after dedicating the COVID years to supporting my family, but I have the work ethic and expertise to find and manage properties that perform.

Also, right now we are utilizing FB but we may change this next year to a platform outside of FB for better interaction and more security.

When parents employ their minor child, the child is exempt from Social Security and Medicare (aka FICA) - if under 18.

Quote from @Michael Smythe: Besides MANY self-labeled "gurus" exaggerating their success, many of them just supply readily available info.If you're too busy to find the info and are willing to pay for it, no problem as you accept their time vs money solution.REGARDING S8 GURU ISSUES SPECIFICALLYMost of them don't share all the facts about how Section 8 actually works.They claim you can get HIGHER rent from S8 tenants vs private-paying tenants.Why would the government allow our tax dollars to be spent this way?