Leveraging creative financing methods like hard money loans, private lending, or partnering with investors can also help you secure deals when traditional financing is delayed or limited.

Weigh out the Pro's and Con's between Traditional, Portfolio, and Non/QM like DSCR. 

traditional How did you add value to the deal?

Financing the deal with cash and a loan from your brother helped you avoid traditional loan costs, which likely benefited your margins.One key lesson you’ve pointed out—always buying low and, if possible, getting an inspection is something that can save a lot of time and money.

, and joining a mentorship/mastermind group, I bypassed smaller deals and jumped straight into multifamily investing.

Traditional lenders in this industry won't fund you on a purchase of a SFH that has leases for rooms and the building will need to be in your LLC name which means a primary bank won't lend you either cause of that and cause of your employment status.You have a real chance to start. 

It can be a lucrative business opposed to the traditional LTR, but you definitely need to have your heart in the right place.

Have you found that private money lending allows you to structure deals in ways traditional lenders won’t?

Once a tenant decides they like your property, it can take a little longer than a traditional rental because Section 8 requires a property inspection to ensure it meets their housing quality standards.

Use a mix of traditional financing, private equity, or joint ventures to balance debt levels.