Hearing about your experience moving from a 4-plex to an 8-unit property gives me a better idea of what to expect as I grow my portfolio.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer here. i have clients call me asking to lock in the maximum buy-down we can possibly allow; and others who think its a terrible idea. as other's have mentioned, i would first look at your recoupment period.

That way the lender has an idea what it is you are doing and cost.

Do you have an idea of the type of property you want to buy and a price range?

But for most properties, it’s a smooth way to add value and potentially start bringing in some rental income.To give you an idea of what’s possible, I ran an analysis on a project in Sycamore Square, Los Angeles.

Actual results vary a bit with each project.Hopefully that gives you an idea of what a builder would look for in numbers for the market to make sense.

Some lenders offer creative solutions, like a cross-collateralized loan, where they use your existing equity as security without refinancing the duplex.Another idea is partnering with private lenders or exploring a second-position mortgage, depending on your lender's terms.

Nice idea, but if you can convert it to gas/propane, I would do that.

Would love to hear some other ideas. 

This can give you some kind of idea.