While 80% of these deals will most likely be terrible, you should be able to find a couple worth walking or offering up on.

I am interested in investing in the Abilene community (I'm over in Fort Worth).

It is not a scam, but you will have a very hard time finding a deal that is worth working with them, and frankly you are going to have to find someone that does not understand at all what their property is worth and get them to accept a super lowball offer to make it worth it. even then their points and fees will eat up so much that getting the 10% down loan will have a much much higher profit margin. 

Have you looked into Dallas-Fort Worth, TX or Birmingham, AL?

What are other high net worth individuals paying in broker commissions these days, for high value properties?  

House is worth 260k and we owe 200k on it.

If upfront savings matter, closing personally and transferring later may work, but if long-term protection and simplicity are priorities, paying for an LLC loan upfront is worth considering.

It's still worth looking into.

As a first time investor looking to make the first purchase on a multifamily home in and around the city of Columbus, OH, within the next 2-3 months, I wanted to ensure I have all the information I need to be able to quickly and efficiently analyze and decide on a property worth investing into.

(Except something like 1/2 of a duplex where the rental 1/2 is worth as much as your exchange.).