Thank you @Shawn Michalek and @Anthony Thompson, this is great information.I think this one might be out of our depth, we are relatively new and do not have a lot of $$ to play with in regards to the possibility of rewiring if that is what was needed. 

If you choose to use one, disclosed dual-agency would take effect and without going into it in depth here, essentially YOUR best interests still would not be represented.

I am not all the familiar with notes, but one of the recent podcasts went into depth on this.  

For example see this: https://www.boundless.com/finance/textbooks/boundl...ROI numbers can be fairly easily manipulated, depending on how leverage is calculated for example, which can make it difficult to compare 2 different investments when someone else is providing their own numbers.

Here in Anchorage, HML's (Hard Money Lenders) generally charge 5 points (5% of purchase price) up front and 12.5% interest on interest only loans (take loan amount times 12.5% and divide by 12 to get the monthly payment amount).Also, $124,000 is a very good price for a duplex in Fairbanks from talking to my friend, so I would suggest performing a very in depth inspection of the property since it has been on the market for a year already at that price.Good luck!

@Chris Parrish knows my pain :)How do you make sure your escalator clause isn't manipulated though?

I did an in depth  review of Rich Uncles, and compared them to two other options for nonaccredited investors.

I'm out of my depth here, but I read other places that banks will only count a percentage of your performing rental properties toward your income and only after they have seasoned for some period of time, eg. you have a rental that has average NOI of $6,000 a year, the bank will only apply a percentage, say 75%, so $4,500, to your income.

I have read the VA offer for in depth and it does not mention that you "can't" do it.  

Many investment firms purchased properties in the depths of the down turn, but most are exiting at a profit.