I'm also looking for someone who is willing to mentor me, with the ins and outs of Real Estate or possibly venturing into a partnership.

And most important- how do you intend to identify & "legally control" what buyers are demanding?  

Good luck with your future REI ventures.

We were thinking on covering the HOA and pest control to the lease.

I'd prefer to see you pay retail (as long as it cash flows), get the unit rent ready and use your brokers license to find your own tenants so, at least that way, you have more control over the investment.

Maybe owner financing or a sub 2 might be to your interest if you looking to just control and rent something.

., you need to move for some reason out of your control), you can then turn it over to property management and still cashflow.

My goal is to grow my business and venture into property flips and rental properties.

Given the almost socialist mentality expressed in the opinions that I see, I suspect you are catching blowback by folks who probably believe you should be allowing rents for $100/month, onerous rent controls, and insane landlord requirements intended to make it harder to get non-paying tenants out.  

Here's where I am looking for creative options: Most commercial loans want me to put 20%+ down, and I hate to take good money and tie it up into property I already control.