If you are looking at larger multi-family, that 15-25% down becomes less negotiable but from what I hear there are creative ways to come up with that money.

My contributions would are: I have my real estate license, I live in the area we would like to invest in so I would be managing the renovation, tenant placement, and property management.  

Without going to a major syndicate, How would I find someone who is already a sponsor, or wants to be a sponsor to partner with on larger deals?

I'm currently comparing buying a home for around $30,000 that has not really been renovated and rents for around $600 VS. a home for around $65,000 that has top to bottom renovations and rents for around $750 ( possibly through a REI company like Mid South Home Buyers, Memphis Invest, etc., or just finding one on my own through an agent).

I am now in a w2 job because i now understand the power that the w2 provides for doing the BRRRR strategy since ive done that in the past. one of my partners is a contractor and a great one at that so weve been biding on homes we like on HUBZU and with the cost we save on renovation it really allows us to bid a bit higher then the others. unfortunately we have not won one of the properties but were going to increase the amount of bids we place within in our criteria.

Keep an eye on Zillow, I have seen some really great deals like a gutted 4/2 (townhouse) right outside of the Kbay gate for 265K and was ready for renovation.

I'm actually just renovating a 2400 square foot house near Disneyland right now.

Buy an apartment building, rehab the vacant units, and sell property once fully stabilized (with an alternate exit strategy of refinancing with a commercial lender).The acquisition and construction will be financed by private money, the renovations performed by a GC, and the property listed and sold via a traditional agent.  

The remaining purchase is in the 750K range so by the numbers I can use the sale of the two SFRs ($145k+215k) to move into the larger MF.

A little about me...Bought my first bank owned foreclosure about a year ago and renovated it myself from top to bottom.