I really like your practical and very descriptive approach to different ways to achieve my goals :) thank you again.

However, like I said in the description of the post...accepted offer on Friday the 13th, with a full moon, address 409 Elm Street, 4+0+9=13, and the closing date is October 31st.I'll keep y'all posted after rehab on whether the deal is truly cursed!

@Tj Hines @Brock Mogensen or any lenderGiving the description of my situation do you know of any lenders that could help?

That's not my quote, but I live by it ;) I've invested in 14 syndications in the past several years with many Sponsors/GPs and have found it rewarding to have geographical diversification and passive income streams. 

The area is zoned R-6 so from what I have read/heard, it is nearly impossible to have the rowhouse rezoned as a legal duplex.I have friends in other geographic areas that have non-permitted units (looking at you, Chicago!)

This analogy could be a description of the deal you choose...or the industry you choose.

I would also suggest you start to go to all the open houses you can possibly manage in your neighborhood (or other specific neighborhood) even if you cannot remotely afford anything there...a big part of finding good deals is learning to evaluate properties relative to the market in which they are located (try to be focused on a narrow geographical area in the beginning)...visiting a lot of places will start train you to notice potential added value of places...the various discrepancies between the ad and the actual place...all skills which are transferable to whichever market you will decide to focus on later.Feel free to DM if you have any questions 

Obviously to those on BP, your description sounds excessive, but you are preaching to the choir here, it's possible you'd have more difficultly in front of a tenant friendly judge. 

However, there are much harder thing to identify such as errors in the legal description of the property, or clouds on the title.

I am a local so am very familiar geographically, just not from an investor perspective.