I've been investing in real estate for 10 years and have purchased and rented 50 sfh's and duplexes.

If done right, a well purchased flip will have multiple exits.

We will pay off a few more loans with smaller balances, even though they are lower interest than what we are getting on new acquisitions.

(we charge the same Processing Fee as depositing to our bank)4) Pay online using their tenant portal (we absorb the small fee, to encourage this behavior as the internal resources saved more than cover that fee)We understand we have scales of efficiency a DIY landlord won't.

As you grow, use 1031 exchanges to defer taxes and scale your portfolio.This post does not create a CPA-Client relationship.

Yes, it's true that you might be able to find a product you need at a greater discount when a brand like Wayfair or CB2 is having a sale, but I've found that they truly do offer superior discounts at scale, even considering the fee. 

That should be your focus, not how to purchase the land.  

Some are automatic denials, some are measured on a scale of 0 - 3.

Agreed on spending money, I would be asking the owner to purchase all of the smart locks himself as an investment into the property. 

My biggest conundrum now is I want to be my own GC because even when I play with smaller numbers they’re still out of reach for me to be able to attain this goal and afford the monthly mortgage with taxes and insurance.