Maintenance at at PM company or one of the big hedge owners like AH4R, leasing at apartment complex will teach you a lot about applications, fraud, leases, collections, evictions. 

There are a lot of things that can come up on a flip so easing your way into things and working your way up to larger rehab budgets, etc is recommend.

I tried shopping around but no one would take me since I had a sewer collapse claim last spring.

One thing you might do is sell your more expensive properties and buy less expensive ones. 

There are always private money lenders there and people who will partner up on a deal.

Or one that can be easily adapted?

Worst case you have zero money and you pay interest for one month on $330 for an “expensive” repair. 

Being able to use real estate to offset taxable income requires some sort of participation on his end.If he wants you to be the boots on the ground, it will likely be hard for him to reduce his taxable income.

Based on my research, several lenders stand out, but I’d appreciate firsthand experiences.Key Considerations:Loan Terms: Fixed rates up to 35 years, interest-only periods (e.g., 10-year interest-only options), and non-recourse structures.Competitive Rates: Recent transactions show rates ranging from 2.69% to 4.65% depending on LTV (55%–80%) and property type.Lender Specialization: Some lenders excel in specific areas:Greystone and Walker & Dunlop lead in Fannie/Freddie volume and large-scale refinancing.Arbor Realty Trust is praised for smaller-balance loans and flexibility.CREFCOA offers streamlined refinancing with 45–60 day closings and cash-out up to 80% LTV.HUD 223(f) loans provide 35-year fixed terms, ideal for stabilized properties.Questions for the Community:Have you worked with lenders like Greystone, Arbor, or Freddie Mac?

The 2 best ones I know of are:- House Hacker Mafia (https://www.meetup.com/house-hacker-mafia-real-estate-invest...)- Colorado Springs REIA (https://www.meetup.com/colorado-springs-real-estate-investor...)Hope to see you at one of them!