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.

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

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.

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

That's not everyone - some legitimate players may just be short on cash because of projects (I've been there) - but it is a lot of people. 

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.

If he makes less 94K a year and married he can take advantage of zero tax rate which would come into play. 

Play it smart by aligning your investments with your goals, timing, and risk appetite.

I do not wish to divulge that here simply because I don't want the thieves to know how I play my hand. 

I understand that starting condition and location will play a factor here, but just wondering what your experience has been.