Far too many get stuck in the "paralysis by analysis" stage, thinking they just don't know enough to get started.

He’s not a pushy salesman, and I’ve got a business partner who has worked with him for the last 10 years without any issues.As for your situation, I wouldn’t say it sounds like a Ponzi scheme, but I’d strongly recommend meeting with the fund sponsor in person and asking as many questions as you can.

I imagine it can be tricky without face-to-face interaction, but it sounds like you’ve got a solid approach.Honestly, I don't have a process for establishing trust with sellers other than being polite and professional.

The newest outdoor is still advertising 1st month free as they haven't filled up, and I spoke with the climate controlled owner/builder yesterday (he's a pretty big REI in the area), and he made it sound like he hadn't leased a single climate controlled unit since they opened a few weeks ago.I recently purchased a 140x45 warehouse with low ceilings and had debated doing self storage, but my market seems very saturated.

Far too many get stuck in the "paralysis by analysis" stage, thinking they just don't know enough to get started.

. :)IN SUM: Based on what you've shared, it sounds like you won't need to rezone if you just want to build a duplex.

With the exception of building a trailer on the property (these are hard to finance), this sounds like a good plan AND if you are using it for your business AND your business pays more than 50% of the rent (if you have more than 1 tenant), then this is a more financeable property in the eyes of banks and credit unions as it would be consider a commercial "owner-occupied" property. 

But it sounds like your agreeing a no-contingency sale is more unrealistic here. 

Multifamily properties do require more management overall and typically appeal to a smaller, investor-focused buyer pool.At my stage, I prefer small MFH over anything else because of the stronger cash flow, scalability, and the more forgiving capex compared to larger MFH, but the best option depends on your goals and strategy. 

At this stage you're probably better off investing that extra money into your primary business activity.What part of CA are you in?