Nothing is a sure bet.

Did you guys ever raise private money?

The other way I fund deals with none of my own money is using a private lender that I have years of experience and relationship with and/or using HELOC and other business lines of credit.

In our still relatively limited experience, seller financiers are usually looking to get a higher asking price in exchange for the favor of the private loan. 

I would bet the solution lies in your answers to those last three questions.

When someone wants to send you a referral privately, they are probably sending you a friend that pays them a referral fee.

or3) If I convert the partnership interest into a private UPREIT, then I trigger tax if/when I sell the Shares in the REIT?

agree .. other wise its just the bottom feeders looking to take his equity from him  with couching it as a rescue.. his best bet it to sell if its owner occ the profit is tax free .. regroup and start over.. 

If comps for a 3 unit property are in the 950k range, then that is what it will come in at.The revenue from the STR will have no bearing on the value of the property itself.People argue about it from time to time, but I spoke with 10 different lenders, banks, credit unions, private lenders, etc etc and they all said the same thing.

Partnering with investors or finding a private lender could also be a great way to get started.