@Travis MullenixI haven't but wanted to know if you have had experience in private lending before?

If they do, your best bet is a local community bank that funds these types of properties.Another option is a private lender but that money will be pretty expensive, as mentioned 10%  + 

Private money and personal funds.

I am starting to realize there has been a significant amount of consolidation in the space by private equity and other institutional investors. 3) From research it also seems like getting financing can be difficult without prior experience in the space.

Why not use your IRA to just buy the property? 

Private (hard) money might help with renovation but will be pricey.

Virtually everyone lives somewhere especially true for those that pay taxes (in CA property and income tax).  

Also, if you’re a private lender yourself, feel free to chime in—I’d love to hear from you!

You can save a lot on costs if you do many repairs yourself.Look into hard money lenders or private lenders for the initial purchase and rehab.Connect with wholesalers, agents specializing in investment properties, and other BRRRR investors to find deals and learn more.

Private notes require more work than Stocks / Bonds, is the added return worth the extra work?