Duplexes provide privacy, flexibility, and scalability, but strict short-term rental regulations may increase upfront costs and maintenance.

I'm assuming you're referring to investors that provide all of the funds for your flips? 

This owner found a free lease template online that provided very little landlord protections. 

When you have studied your market properly you should be able to provide the answer of if single family or residential multifamily is better for cash flow. 1% rule was for a time when almost all deals were decent as a way to rule out the lessor deals and concentrate on the best deals.

The reality is the opposite - if it's not in writing then the PMC doesn't have to provide the service or can charge extra for it!

There’s no risk and all reward because if somebody can’t provide ID, they’re not going to be able to rent from me anyway.  

You reference taking out a HELOC and those are generally provided when the property is in your personal name, which I don't recommend for investment properties.Overall, it sounds as if you're tired of dealing with "long distance" ownership.

Then there’s fraud or misrepresentation, where borrowers inflate project values or provide false documentation.

Can anyone provide a copy?

I'm trying my best to prevent mold growth, so I asked tenants for their renters insurance, to which he said, "our renters was with geico and we just switched insurance providers this month and have not got a policy active yet."