In my head I'd want to buy a property cash or creative terms with a private money partner for the home and maybe a 2nd partner for the furnishing and start-up funding.

You can study them as well as play around with numbers to help determine what an appropriate buy box for you would be. 

Investment Info:Small multi-family (2-4 units) buy & hold investment.

Buying carefully will increase chances of success. 

If you buy locally, will your expenses be higher than if you were renting?

The local bank allows me to purchase 2-4 investment units with a 30 year conventional loan + renovation loan for all fixes with 20% down The renovation loan is kept in an escrow and paid to the contractors as the work gets done.Anyone buying 2-4 units and doing it this way?

That said I am also reading that a higher price to rent ratio may indicate areas where it is more attractive to rent than to buy.  

I don't personally buy assignment real estate  but I am on countless mailing lists.

I'm looking for deal structure, pros and cons, tips, etc.My goal is to buy some of these new small affordable starter homes at a price that will cash flow, after foregoing my half of the equity split. 

We have a lot of expenses since we buy our properties distressed and put a lot of sweat equity in them.