@Karin RecaldeWhere are you in the process now?

You'll find much greater difference in $$$$$ by refining your location/rehab/vacancy strategies instead of worrying about "how much it costs to borrow money" in this environment.Nearly all of my clients are more concerned with a simple and headache-free funding process, than the "lowest rate."

Although I saved 20-30k by doing everything myself and learned a ton in the process, doing that sucked up all my time and potentially stopped me from buying multiple multis last year.

Its a slow learning process if you havent been in the lending, investing or real estate world before.

Hearing it from someone else solidifies my thought process in analyzing the market.

REIHub, Stessa, QuickBooks, spreadsheets, etc are all valid tools and depends on the client and how their brain works.I wish you luck in getting yourself organized for the coming season, but would encourage you to make the recordkeeping an ongoing habit rather than a once per year stress fest.

You want both of them to be real estate experts so the process will be smooth. 

I met him many times before awesome GUY but you can definitely tell the dude is the biggest slacker in the world (for example: if he knows that going the long way will benefit him greatly but will be hard in the process, but cutting through the backyard to avoid the long-distance of wearing will be better, he will most definitely take the short cut!

Each state might have different process.  

It can be discouraging for newcomers.Solution: Develop resilience and learn to view rejection as part of the process.