Make sure that you and your partner are a good fit first. 

I can ask you a series of questions and dial your scenario in to which lenders you may be a good fit for. 

I am identifying quite a few good properties off MLS (actually, Redfin, Zillow and Realtor) that fit my purchase criteria.

If we make a good fit, then I would be open to spending more time and move towards a partnership.

House is just under 2000 sf and after waiting almost 10 weeks for them to fit me in, it cost me...drum rollllllll...21K

IE a closet that will hold more than  10 out fits :)5.

It takes a good amount of networking to find the people that are the right fit for one's goals.  

As much as possible I'd recommend getting really clear on your goals in life and how real estate fits into those, and then iterate from there.If you are buying at a distance (specifically you're not moving from house to house and collecting houses as you go) then it would be a great simplifying factor to buyer AN asset or two with many doors, but there are other ways you could structure it so that small multis are the way to go.So, back to the root . . . what do you want to accomplish in life, and what role does real estate investing play in that?

Each area has it's own personality, so finding the one that fits your style and budget is going to benefit you in the long run.

I am hoping to find the perfect fit