Most of my clients stick to private money.  

If you have enough money but your business is the main driver of income in most cases you can make more money putting time into the business.You could also get creative here.

On the flip side, I am in the process of acquiring over $1.5M in defaulted DSCR loans form borrowers who are your age that put 25% down but had no money to fix any of the problems  = lost the renters and walked from the property.

I also have $102k in a money market account that currently earns about 4.5%.

Really established our finances and money goals.

As you indicated yourself, it's mostly throwing away money because you have nothing left at the end of the lease.

If you're willing and able, I do recommend the "house hacking" strategy which is just a fancy name for buying a rental property and living in one of the units, because you'll get very favorable financing - an owner-occupied fixed-rate 30-year mortgage.I'd also say, analyze that property as if you won't live there and it's a pure rental, and make sure the property is still cash flow positive if there's a tenant in your unit because then you'll know if it's actually a good investment.And when you analyze it, include payment of a property manager in your #s because if you don't, and doing so would make it go cash flow negative, then you've just bought yourself a job because you literally can't step away from managing it without losing money.

Dave Ramsey has a good saying about how Thanksgiving Dinner is different when you owe money to the other person at the table.

Does anyone know of a dscr lender that will allow for seasoned money for a down payment and a really good property manager in Ohio specifically in Columbus, Cin, and Cleveland?  

I am kind of new to real estate investing as I got lucky the first two times but now I am looking to invest quite a bit more money and I am slightly terrified.