I just closed a DSCR loan on a Duplex with Total Quality Lending.

Yeah make sure to thoroughly conduct background checks on private institutions you lend from.

Establish an emergency fund and target stable long-term rentals or short-term rentals in markets you understand.House hacking or private lending can offer alternative entry points depending on your risk tolerance and hands-on involvement.

That is a true portfolio loan with a commercial loan and through a commercial lender or bank that provides portfolio lending.

Also, if this is something that you are looking for in a hard money lender, you might want to look into more of a private money lending model verse anything else. 

Sellers often favor buyers who can make larger down payments, as it indicates stronger financial backing and reduces the risk of the deal falling through due to financing issues.Additionally, SFH properties are more accessible to a wider range of buyers, including first-time homebuyers and families, which can lead to less direct competition from institutional investors.

Sounds interesting if you have a email I can send you the info for a hard money lender I know since they only lend in texas, Colorado,  Georgia,  Tennessee, north Carolina and Arizona 

These penalties include:Five years in prisonUp to $500,000 in finesEquity Skimming may also result in Conspiracy charges, specifically conspiracy to commit bank fraud and false statements to influence a financial institution.

This way the lender is covered and only lending on the value that is legally zoned and compliant (in case the city took action against the non-conforming unit).

Initially, we wanted to  have the loan under my wife's name only but my the loan officer from the builder's lending arm told us that if I am in the buyer, the RE Agent and the mortgagor (in the loan), I could use my agent commission towards closing costs and down payment.