At the end of the day I'm ok with taking the slower path of saving up the cash for the down payments and buffer but if there's a quicker way that I'm not aware of I'm open to all options. 

I feel like these are my only options:- House Hack: Would I still need to pay the 6% tax rate if I'm getting rental property insurance?

We did consider/evaluate that option, and have done multiple flips, but at those points have been under contract since New Year's Eve and carrying costs for another 2-3 months without a guaranteed sale is not the risk we want to assume.

I then had my mentor who was also a hard money lender purchase the house and sell it to me on a lease option.

It could be a great option for your client's needs, or at the very least, a starting point for comparison with other lenders.

Feel free to reach out with any questions about loan options or how I can support your real estate journey!

Have you looked into property management options or run numbers factoring in potential vacancies and maintenance?

Hi - if I am thinking about offering buyer with seller financing, what are my options for mortgage servicing?

I shot you a DM as there are most likely a few different options to consider.

If the condition is similar to the market average but your rent is severely under market rate then I take an average between the current rent and the market rent and send them the following message 2 months before their lease is up (assuming you aren't in a rent control market),Dear Tenant,Some nice words and remind them that their lease is up within 2 months, please select the following options about their new lease, also mention that you are doing the best you can to maintain the rent as low as possible but with inflation, insurance and property taxes increasing, you have to raise the rent to keep up with the rising expenses. 1.