I think its great that people are thinking of over ways of generating an income other than the traditional 9-5 methods.  

You can put around 20% down and buy with traditional financing (cheap 30 year money).

A couple of my favorite books on commercial real estate that I recommend are: - Complete Guide to Buying and Selling Apt Buildings by Steve Berges- Commercial Real Estate Investing by Dolf DeRoos (this was the equivalent of Rich Dad Poor Dad for me with commercial real estate) 

If the challenge is "selling" a deal on a burnt out shell to a conventional lender, try this: Get private or hard money to acquire and rehab, get leases signed, THEN refinance through a traditional lender if you can meet their LTV requirements.Again, it's only a 4-unit.

The trend is for those who would traditionally be in the "first time home buyers" chapter of life are increasingly opting to rent.

She would have a hard time selling it through traditional channels.  

Also, what is the reason why these houses look like a box instead of traditional slopped roof style?

I'm finding it difficult to get a loan as you would a traditional house.

So if you are dilligent about savings and you  stick that money right back into the property you are definitely-- WINNINGSo if you don't put it into the NOI it will not look like you're getting as good of deals, but really u are saving that money as it would have been wasted making some other landlord rich...Do it.  

I know as many rich people as I do poor people.