As a first time buyer who has closed a deal without a buyer's broker, I lean towards the notion that real estate agent commissions are too high.

This notion of "saving money by doing it yourself" is nothing but fear- and scarcity-based thinking.Either this is a business or it's a hobby: If it's a business, let the professionals do what they do so you can focus on finding and executing profitable real estate transactions.Benefit from my pain: It took me nearly two decades to learn this particular lesson!

The facts are clear, aggregate demand for credit WORLDWIDE has been decreasing at a feverish pace.Your notion that supply drives prices more than demand does is not supported in any way.

The OP started with the notion that hml's are better for newbie's because they can vet the deal and borrower where a private lender cannot. 

Don't even think about walking into a bank or pitching investors without at least a notion about answering these.As for the hypothetical 6-12 unit MFR, you have a few choices.

Really, people need to get out of their heads the notion that your lease can make binding any agreement at all you form with your tenant.  

If you do, your seller might not be receptive to the notion that they're paying for your bills.

The notion of a discount is very viable.

Thanks @Brandon Hall I guess I should move on from that traditional thinking of local face-to-face notion :-)

Those loans typically contain a yield maintenance requirement that would make it really costly to sell before the yield maintenance times out (unless there is a spike in interest rates).I think that any notion that liquidation of SFRs by the PE firms will result in a drop in home prices is overblown.