Another option would be working with private lenders to see if they're open to your idea should you need additional funding. 

In addition, they are bearing the risk of you backing out of the deal and them being stuck with vacant units not bringing in rent. 4.

While I can contribute some capital and sweat equity, I’ll need a partner to bring in additional funds to close the deal.Here’s where I could really use your advice:1.

Best thing to do is avoid the higher DTI debt to income, claim one as investment and use the rents to offset the new purchase. 

Additionally, I've been spending a lot of time evaluating condo / HOA management solutions and accidentally stumbled on ManageCasa, which offers a free trial and < 3 unit free tier that has allowed me the time to get in, kick the tires, and really appreciate their attention to detail and broad feature set that adapts to each unique industry sector.

Usually draw fees are very minimal though and if you plan them right, it can be a great way to replenish your cash or pay down debt from rehab.

To determine price range, the first step is always figuring our how much you are pre-approved for; and that can vary significantly when you are looking at multi-unit properties because of the additional variable of rental income that can be included in qualifying.

We wanted additional units to pay mortgage and have cash flow.

So far mostly people are telling me I'm probably stuck until their lease is over. meanwhile I also need to pay down my debt and improve credit score. 

Eliminate debt, establish a budget, and save.