We can keep adding to it depending on your needs.The areas that you mentioned are where most tech companies are situated.

Find a private lender who charges you 10-12% plus points. you keep all upside but take on more risk. 

I'll make sure to keep that in mind 👍

Those numbers were something that many of us were able to pull off pre-pandemic, but it is much harder to do so now.Also, keep in mind that the “cheap houses” in the beginning can end up wiping out your cash flow with a major Cap Ex or maintenance expense.

Mortgage rates will be back down it's not "if" it's a "When" and that is very soon keep in mind the rates took a dramatic drop end of December into the first 2 weeks of January but it was too short of a window for the media or general public to notice until the 1st CPI index report with "Garbage numbers" so it caused a pull back on the bond market and MBS.There are some loopholes right now in FHA, VA and Fannie Mae since we are seeing more "Margin" built into pricing.

Plus, I have a hunch (but haven’t looked into it), that this will limit my scalability.So, I’m trying to see if there’s a different way to structure these loans that keeps things simple for my investors (ie. still getting a 1099), while still collateralizing the loan, and giving them all “equal” position on the debt.What I’m doing is working (I think?)

Because it first of all allows you to keep all of your equity at work including the tax you get to defer. 

If I'm understanding correctly, we could keep our 1st duplex with the FHA loan (until rates lower then we'll refinance) and then still use an FHA loan for our 2nd duplex since we have lived there for over a year?

We usually keep it to praising how well they’ve taken care of the place and saying how we’d be honored to carry on the tradition.  

Vacant properties tend to appraise higher than tenanted but you can't alwasy keep it vacant till the refi is done.