The best deal I can find today is one that you buy cash, invest a rehab and when you pull out 75% of your ARV you leave maybe a small amount of money in the deal and you break even (BEFORE DISCOUNTING FOR VACANCY, REPAIRS, etc) Yes that means you leave like 10-25k in the deal and your payment becomes $3000/m and your rent is $3000 a month or slightly less.This is for my local market and for Class B or higher RE. 

Unlike the Bay Area, at least from my experience in Sacramento, i don't think the difference in down-payment from a duplex and tri-plex is that significant.

The rules and payment standards vary significantly from one area to another, so familiarizing yourself with the local housing authority's procedures is key.

I offer an online payment portal to submit rent payments via ACH or CC - they "couldn't figure out how to use it" so I set us up to accept Zelle payments.

I assume you currently have a residential mortgage that does not have a pre-payment penalty.

It’s a great way to grow faster.HELOC or Equity Tapping: If you have equity in another property, using a HELOC or cash-out refinance could help cover the down payment without affecting your DTI as much.Seller Financing or Creative Deals: Look for sellers willing to finance directly, which bypasses traditional mortgage qualification hurdles.Scaling quickly often involves combining strategies—play around with what works best for your goals.

This could be an opportunity to add value by offering to help with clearing or relocating those items as part of any potential agreement.Why This Could Be a Good Move for YouYou see long-term potential in the property, especially with the large lot and development possibilities (even if those are years down the line).As the current tenants, you have the advantage of a direct relationship with the landlord and familiarity with the property, reducing competition and risk.This could be a chance to lock in a property that you might otherwise lose if it hit the open market, especially in today’s competitive environment.Challenges to ConsiderIf the landlord is emotionally tied to the property or reliant on rental income, they may be reluctant to sell.Financing could be tricky, especially with today’s interest rates and the gap between the current rent and what a conventional loan might cost.The development potential you’re interested in is likely a long-term play, which means the property could be financially tight in the short term, especially if you’re only breaking even or slightly negative on cash flow.Structuring a Potential DealTo make this feasible, you’ll likely need to explore creative financing options that align with both your financial capacity and the landlord’s goals.Seller Financing: Propose a deal where the landlord acts as the lender, allowing you to make monthly payments directly to them.

Quote from @Jack Townsend: I heard David Greene mention a loan product that only requires a 10% down payment on the purchase price and 10% of the rehab budget.

Quote from @Bret Hudson: I lost a lot of trust for biggerpockets podcast when started using dealmachine and batchleads (same company) for sponsors too.

There are mortgage recast calculators online or you can reach out to your lender.P+I payment will go from 2155 to ~1800 given the numbers you provided.