Our practice has been to write a lease for their contract dates (typically 12 weeks).

And great, I'm spending a ton of time practicing deal analysis and understanding my goals to be able to identify on my end what would work for me and my portfolio, noted on the importance of taking charge of all of that. 

I would get very close to breakeven, but you are still living for practically free (not counting repairs, maintenance, and management) while paying down the mortgage on a monthly basis.I have never purchased a new property to house hack, but I would run the numbers like any other investment property.

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA): This law applies when a debt collector contacts a borrower on behalf of the bank.

And maybe a bigger question i had for the more knowledgeable individuals is: Is the practice of wholesale real estate shady in itself or is it just a lot of the people that it attracts?

For example, allowing payments on the deposit is bad practice.

I am wondering what this means in practice.

It's best practice to start early and build those relationships. 

Is this normal practice for contractors?

When buyers especially Bay Area buyers ask me if I will get them part of commission I tell them find someone who does that practice and I lost few of those Bay Area buyers.