One buddy of mine split his time between local flips in Greensboro and buy-and-hold single-families in Memphis.

First, are you looking to buy a single family residence or another type of property? 

Quote from @Tyler Kesling: Not to drag this thread out indefinitely but if I were to take your advice and start small, is it the dumbest thing to 1) Hire a PM on a single fourplex and 2) Do a HELOC into a DSCR?

OK lets analyze this post.I still fail to see the value in that post... not one single person genuinely interested in learning how to wholesale would find any value in that post.Don't you agree?

They could offer different products for single family vs multifamily so it's a good idea to get with a lender to see what they can do that may not be your typical mortgage type.

For single family residential I think it is a red flag, usually price if they are sitting.

Many warranties cover single-family homes or duplexes, but for multifamily properties, you might need a specialized policy.

If you’re renting an apartment building to mostly Section 8 tenants, the main difference from single-family or smaller multifamily properties is scale—you’re dealing with more units, so you’ll need solid systems for maintenance and tenant management.

Ask them how many customers they have and how many own a single property vs. many units.

I'm sure they also told you their systems will protect against aggressive attorneys and creditors and make you invisible so nobody will ever dare file a claim against you...it's all a money grab.If you are a sole proprietor I am putting my money on the fact a single member LLC in the state in which you live/own real estate will suffice.