I am also curious about when/how an attorney/legal involvement comes into play with this.

The theory is spot on, in practice however that logic rarely plays out - at least in recent years where multifamily has been crazy.

I think new investors who post here and take all the feedback as a whole, with a grain of salt, can really put it into play in real life and then discuss with investors at meetups in their area to get over the hump.

FHA is unlikely to play nice in this situation.Bank statement loans might be an option for you.

If first time home buyers are having a difficult time coming up with the funds for even the costs to play as a first time home buyer then are the non profits supposed to pay the buyers agent commission too? 

I believe they played a role raising capital for these deals, but the language used on their track record implies they played a very active role in the sourcing, execution and sale of the assets, which is very likely not the case. 

The Private Equity and Institutional investor is playing the ADU game - I’m working with them.

It’s a great way to grow faster.HELOC or Equity Tapping: If you have equity in another property, using a HELOC or cash-out refinance could help cover the down payment without affecting your DTI as much.Seller Financing or Creative Deals: Look for sellers willing to finance directly, which bypasses traditional mortgage qualification hurdles.Scaling quickly often involves combining strategies—play around with what works best for your goals.

When you go to sell, Montvale requires a certificate of occupancy so this issue has to be resolved in advance of a sale.Although I am not a lender, I assume you will not be approved for an owner-occupied mortgage on 5-units if it is a legal 4-unit without some type of mortgage fraud whether in reported rents, units, or another legal document or representation (very very large issue from a legal perspective with multiple arrests in the last year for anyone playing fast and loose).As far as the DCA, I would recommend coordinating your work with the city with the DCA.

This plays into the affordability issues for tenants by allowing them to live in nicer neighborhoods for less money, yet I get monthly revenue comparable to short-term rentals.