If you believe you can carry this place, without a negative carry, make any necessary repairs and can make changes to improve the rents...

Find Brandon's videos on YouTube for the "four square" method of analyzing homes and practice.

This would improve the property value and also allow you to lease out the 5th unit.

I have about $5k in a credit card and another $5k in a home improvement loan because I had to replace my AC condenser after purchasing my primary last year.

So far mostly people are telling me I'm probably stuck until their lease is over. meanwhile I also need to pay down my debt and improve credit score. 

There's a decent chance that if you have good credit and improve your DTI over the next year, you can put a Heloc on the property while it's still your primary to unlock some of that equity if needed.

Focus on optimizing the current fourplexes (improving rents, reducing expenses).

This includes contacting the applicant’s employer and speaking with their supervisor to confirm job stability, income, and reliability​. if the person has not been employed at their place of employment they would require a guarantorCredit Score and Debts: Applicants need a minimum credit score of 620, and while we review debts, medical debts are generally not disqualifying unless they impact overall financial health.Criminal History: We do review criminal history to ensure safety and security for our tenants, while remaining mindful of state and federal guidelines.Rental History: Positive references from past landlords, with no evictions or significant lease violations in the past five years, are essential. and we can see into the court system if they have an eviction judgement.Release of Information: We include a release form allowing us to verify employment and rental history directly, which helps us get a clearer picture of an applicant’s background.This process has worked well so far, but I’m always open to improving.

Set it up so they can give you their name and email address so you can contact them in the future to learn more about their property.Create Facebook and YouTube Videos about Your Real Estate Investing BusinessLastly, having a presence on YouTube and Facebook Live video will definitely get you in front of the right audience.

If your friend is more of a Youtuber, turn him on to Erin Spradlin's MTR channel.