I will be quick to admit I have only had experiences with small rentals (6 units and smaller) so if you are looking for help on larger apartment complexes I would not be a great resource.

So we would have to get a loan, pay off the seller and transfer title and then wait the seasoning period before doing a refi unless there is a bank out there that will treat it as a refi off the bat

I’d pay my 0% interest for a year credit card loans and 401k loans off asap then repeat.

On my second house hack, I am hoping to scale beyond small multis soon. 

Are you referring to small multifamily deals or commercial properties with five or more units?

.⚠️ Financing Challenges: Hard money loans carry high interest rates that nibble into the bottom line.Unrealistic timelines: If you think you're going to be in and out in 60 days, you're sadly mistaken-most flips take longer than expected.Real Talk: Is Fix and Flip Still Worth It?

I own a couple vacant lots and looking to purchase more in a small area. 2/1s in Memphis, as far as I know, are as desirable as in a bigger market.

Been looking at hard money loans, and also looking at doing a 401K loan from my w-2 job. 

There is so much that goes into a successful STR beyond the very basics.Now, projections can help for people using a DSCR loan.

Hard money and private investing are both ways to finance flips, but they work a little differently.Hard money loans are typically from companies or private lenders that specialize in short-term, high-interest loans.