BP also offers a variety of excellent tools to enhance your knowledge. 

You've presented a great list of questions here, however, I wouldn't be able to address the bulk of your concerns because: 1) the specifics of your situation/intentions will dictate the proper advice, and 2) these questions are better suited for an attorney.However, it sounds like you have a variety of different income streams, all of which are treated differently for tax purposes than the others. 

Just depends on a variety of factors.

You have a variety of options on how to begin this thrilling adventure.

Sometimes called "DSCR" loans and a variety of other names. 

If you're looking to consider a variety of options, a broker will be able to help you compare different programs.

And, they have a wide variety of structures and risk/reward ratios for different types of investors (from no leverage to leverage, different sub asset classes, different geographies, etc).

I sometimes set him up with my loan clients.Since I set up loans every week, and deal with a wide variety of sources for the loans, I see what the lenders do to reduce risk.

I look through a variety of channels - MLS feeds, LoopNet, tips from brokers/agents, reaching out to PMs, asking if their owners want to sell and finally direct mail.

That's the properties i currently hold, a few more properties and i will be bringing in what i make right now working, in cash flow, and i could live off of that, the rest will be all theirs. i have done a some flips, i have made as little as $100, i have also made $50,000, so there are ways to get money when needed but no matter which type of investing you are doing it is always a gamble, but i think a variety of ways is your best bet, you are taking risks yet having some safe investments for those down times, the next best area may be the worst financial investment if you do not time things right, either buying or selling.There are probably investors out there that lose money on their properties but it is a tax advantage/ strategy for them and down the road when they sell, or their kids inherit, it would be worth a lot of money to either one. if you make a lot of money and you need a place to " dump " it, a losing property is a good hiding place especially if the kids inherit it later at current market value.There is no wrong way to invest, as long as you have a plan and an exit strategy.