I may make a post on the numbers, but that was not my intention here.  

I did start investing with the intention of building my rental portfolio, but I started to see that overall I was not cashflowing as best as I could.

I purchased a duplex in May of this year and moved into the bottom unit with the intention of renting the top unit as well as the sf I moved out of which would put me in positive cashflow (the top unit of the duplex does not cover the duplex mortgage entirely on its own). 

Is there an equity-based product that I could use to pay for that rehab, with the intent of doing a DSCR once it is rehabbed and rented?

If you feel they're being too harsh, think about their intent.

My husband and I acquired a rental property in 2023 with hard money with the intention of rehabbing the home and renting out the 3 units, refinancing and paying back this short term loan.

Unless they can prove intentional fraud.

I suspect she had the best intention of doing the appraisal but for whatever reason was not getting to it. 

Holding the lease unenforceable by the landlord not only advances the intent underlying § ATCP 134.08(3), but prevents the objectives of the regulation from being wholly undermined.

Then a wise man who was already successful doing what I wanted to be doing shared some common sense that I took to heart: settle on ONE strategy to get started and block out all the other noise, the BS, and the well intentioned but misinformed friends and relatives telling you that you can’t do this.