Additionally, I wanted to begin using properties to pull equity to go towards buying more.

When evaluating a property management company, it's important to look beyond just the management fee and consider the full scope of services and costs involved.For example, at our company, we charge a 10% monthly management fee, a $250 lease renewal fee (unless it’s a takeover tenant, which requires additional effort to establish a strong relationship - because usually people are changing pm companies for a reason), and the first month’s rent as a leasing fee.

I agree with the others here that say you need to have some skin in the game, if you are going to live there yourself, get an FHA loan rather than owner financing, you can get a 3.5% down loan, personally I do not love these as they require  PMI which is an additional expense, and you also need  bring additional funds for closing at least for taxes, title, attorney and transfer fees . borrowing from anyone else for the down payment, to include a personal loan from the bank is not a good idea, those again will be higher int. rate.

I pull permits for removal of load bearing walls, addition of bathrooms or bedrooms, addition of footage.

Get the property in your name, make sure that the seller is an additional insured.

In addition, some states have different regulations tooI'm sure that someone that specializes in Insurance can give more insight into what is and isnt necessary or best for our properties.

Here's some input to help guide the decision between selling or renting the property, considering the specifics of the property and the potential additions like the ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit):1.

Additionally, interest-bearing accounts may be mandated in certain jurisdictions, so it's important to check local regulations to ensure you're handling deposits correctly.

What would be my best route to take if we need additional finances?

You pay your agent at closing (think of it as an additional closing cost) Depending of the situation and of these options can be used by you and your agent to negotiate with the seller.