If you're scared to take the leap to get your first property, I'd advise making your first deal as low risk as possible. 

The name of the game is collect monthly premiums and payout as little as possible.

Again, I like the idea of a new fourplex, it just seems like you’re glossing over alternatives/possible problems. 1) You say you want to hold for cash flow instead of taking $120k cash by selling as soon as it’s built.

Also did not know a possible payment method could be so polarizing.

Getting a steady, reliable paycheck is awesome and it is how you keep yourself lendable and scalable.This - "transition out of a 9-5 as soon as possible" - is not what you should be saying at 25 years old.

Not sure if a HELOC is possible.

I would probably structure it as debt like a loan and possibly break it up into quarterly payments or whatever you think will work best for you as far as repayment. you can get creative....

You probably had a little tickle in your moral compass which gave you pause, which is why you reached out.My wife is an accountant, when we look for every possible tax break it doesn't feel like theft, we feel accomplished to find a place for more savings and lose zero sleep over it.

Auctions are quite possibly the worst place to buy if you want to avoid repairs.

make friends.there's no rush. the worst possible thing you could do would be to put your nest egg into something and lose some of it and set yourself back.