I may be able to get her on bank draft or some other method. 

A clear operating agreement will also need to be structured for the LLC and since I read the goal being that the relative is not to sign on the loan, they need to be kept at less than a 20% partner. 

There is a reason things like insurance and proper deal structure exists :)

Major structural issues with the duplex.

If you don't have much money to start, try driving for dollars, putting out bandit signs, and some other more time-extensive/cheaper methods.

Should I contact a structural engineer myself?

You can purchase a multi family home with your entitlement, live in one and rent out the others  with 100% financing.That should be your preferred method of financing for the least amount of money out of pocket.  

I know their strong and weak points as structures.

My now wife (then girlfriend of only one year) jumped right in with me and we closed off a back area that collapsed, removed that from the structure, closed off the upstairs, and made the lower livable.

I obviously don't have enough shareholders to for a Reit but something similar on a much smaller scale is what I would like to do.What is the best way to structure and go about this?