Startup costs paid out of pocket should be recorded as capital contributions and may be deductible as startup expenses or amortized.

For example, my average terms are 90%-100% LTV and 10% interest flat no points or pre-payment penalty.

Then connect with some hard money lenders (you can find some here on BP as well as some who are typing this right now) and connect with them to understand their product type, what they like to lend on and requirements.Hard money broker is all numbers game of making relationships and helping those that are looking for financing, it starts out slow but if you get with a few good borrowers and lenders it can be pretty decent money to be made.As an example we paid six figures last year to HM brokers. 

Every day I receive calls from out of state investors who paid far too much for their property in my opinion and it always is because they trusted others too much instead of performing their own research.

To determine price range, the first step is always figuring our how much you are pre-approved for; and that can vary significantly when you are looking at multi-unit properties because of the additional variable of rental income that can be included in qualifying.

This is what I am encountering, in the current Mortgage Industry.If you think you will go FHA, Conventional, FHA 203k, etc. and then Quit Claim the property, to a LLC, or a Land Trust you run the risk of the lender discovering a Title Transfer occurred and activating the "Acceleration Clause" or "Due on Sale Clause" that requires the loan to be paid in full, within 'x' number of days.

Quote from @Tod DuBois: Another Furnished Finder POT cancelled on me after I went out of my way and paid to review them on Key Check and signed up for Key Check contracts, made two contracts, allowed a pet and still, two days before the check-in, they did not sign.

HI @David SohnSituation 1: You don't pay for your brokers fee:In this situation you are not paying for a buyers agent and they would be paid via the seller.

I contacted the city to get all permits and the only one was one that my contractor got that I paid for.

@John BowensAre you loaning from a pre-tax 401K or did you convert to Roth and then loaning from there?