Locally, I look forward to soon having my VA loan seasoned to refinance and fully rent out, and acquire another property. 

I am noticing for the others I am trying to acquire I am the only bidder.

@Matthew PosteraroIt comes down to how much capital do you have to allocate, and how many units you are looking to acquire with your capital.

Quote from @Kris Gardner: Sept 1st, 2024 I acquired a duplex in Ohio.

Quote from @Rick Im: Quote from @Ashish Acharya: @Rick Im Inspection fees for unsuccessful deals and mileage for property viewings before acquiring your first rental CANNOT qualify as start-up expenses.

Seems like the heloc was a great way to acquire many properties.

I was also able to acquire $750k of real estate using leverage (now worth $1M).Another great point is that this happened in 2020/2021. 

Quote from @Isadore Nelson: I’m considering acquiring an occupied foreclosure property—a two-family home in Brooklyn, NY—and I'm hoping to connect with anyone who has experience in this area?

When the houses were just acquired it usually took me two to four weeks to get a tenant in them though I had some that were rented prior to make-ready and renovations being done, that's happened a couple of times.  

Renovation costs would need to be financed separately.Private Lending or Hard Money: Use a private or hard money loan to acquire and rehab the property, then refinance into a joint long-term loan.Seller Financing: Negotiate terms directly with the seller for a flexible financing arrangement.Final ThoughtsUsing an FHA 203(k) loan for your first property is a smart move, and with the right partnership agreement, you can still achieve your 50/50 goals.