There is a difference between newbies trying to do creative financing deals and actually doing them.

Is it similar to Savannah / Tybee where new STR's can only be in certain zoning areas and there is a waitlist for applications?

Financing depends on your scenario and what type of property you're purchasing.

:)As for LTR rental terms, usually we sign a 1 year lease where tenants are expected to pay Electric and Gas if applicable, while the owner typically pays water/sewer/trash with the city. 

Currently, all my finances are done in Canada (Canadian credit score, no LLC, Canadian bank acc, etc.). 4th point, would that be threw conventional financing?

Cashflow is not extraordinary because I financed on a 15-year mortgage.

Also, I am considering alternative financing options (beyond Hard Money).

I’ve read quite a few posts about foreign investor financing but most seem to deal with non-citizen investors without US credit or personal tax filings.

A common pitfall is treating each deal as a standalone transaction instead of connecting acquisitions, financing, and project management as part of one cohesive process.

@Frankie Lotrec if you have an existing loan on the property and you plan to legally convert from a 4 unit to 5 unit , you should check the loan documents because you’d essentially be converting it to a commercial property, since 5+ units is considered commercial and subject to different appraisal approaches and so it would rule out the property being considered for purchasers utilizing residential financing.