Just do your numbers and control the deal to make money.  

., if I’m dealing with someone in, say, Chicago or Austin, I know precisely which local operators are closing quickly and which boutique lenders are staying nimble.

This allows you to control renovations and decide whether to self-manage on the back end.

Can I dictate the remitter listed on the check (LLC vs controller vs IRA) based on the needs of the transaction - my local bank would at least give me that much latitude - or is that determined by these banks?

talking to the Bank its going to be far and few between that the mortgages these folks are taking sub to is still owned or controlled by the "Bank" the loans were sold within months of origination and maybe MERS has it ( sliced and diced) and for sure your dealing with a servicer.. who is not going to negotiate one bit.. now if you happen to have a sub to with a portfolio lender and you can actually talk to someone who is a decision maker thats different but I submit those loans will be a small fraction of the deals being done.

Live in one unit and rent out the others to cover your mortgage.Seller Financing: Negotiate terms with the property seller where they act as the lender, often requiring a smaller down payment and bypassing traditional underwriting.Partnerships or Joint Ventures: Partner with an investor who provides the capital in exchange for a share of the property’s equity or income.Lease Options: Use a rent-to-own agreement, which allows you to control the property while saving for a formal purchase.BRRRR Method (Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat): Acquire a distressed property with short-term financing, rehab it to increase value, rent it out, and refinance to recoup your initial investment.Pro TipStay in close communication with your lender as you approach your next purchase.

In a syndication you have low control and also limited liquidity. 

Alternatively, some purchasers want to control the process in return for more certainty.For a non-delegated correspondent loan, the loan purchaser will get involved and direct all processing decisions.

You will have to go there once to twice a week to make sure that trash doesn’t get out of control.

Accounting System with "Control" ChecksSoftware to manage revenues, expenses, payroll, and taxes, etc., and ability to verify receipts and transactions (the verification is done by upper management to check and validate the revenues and expenses)4.