I find the whole concept of securing a property with a contract without the full intention to complete the sale unethical- why not be up front with people? 

I doubt the city plows this regularly but only when you call them.  

Since we are new to REI and recent grads at the same time, we do not have enough cash nor able to secure private money for the time being (we want to have a track record before seeking out partnerships).

Now back to your regularly scheduled DOS debate...

However, even getting this done takes a lot of maneuvering and there's a risk the seller will send a third party to secure the property when they realize its vacant and they still wont allow you access.

Hey Frank, I'm new to BP and RE investing  (I've made several offers but no deals secured yet) so take my advice with a grain of salt but I think what you're going to get a lot of is...

If we are in danger of not having enough cash to cover our expenses, then we as owners add more of our own funds to the business and increase our equity, or obtain a loan to cover the need.We currently receive our rents through regular post, mailed to our local USPS office (P.O.Box).

Comparing 5 Series to 1 regular LLC strikes me as a loaded comparison. 

A regular client will know that during these times to expect a higher rate.

Hello all,  I am in the process of refinancing my primary residence to use the equity for an investment property and I was wondering what is the typical equity required, on your primary residence, to be able and secure an additional loan for said investment property.