The equity potential of course, but mainly I was trying to solve two issues - on one end, the seller was struggling financially and needed to sell her home but investors were aggressively trying to take advantage.

If you dont have a true "private lender" meaning an individual loaning their cash and or 401 secured by the deed then there is no way you can ever scale! 

I think is a stretch and it really depends on who they are bonding for one off individual Not so much.. big builder developer who is bringing them hundreds of thousands in title insurance and escrow income a year.. ( like I do on my projects) thats a whole nother kettle of fish.

So far I've been working in the MF space for about 4 months now and was able to connect with many great individuals in many different parts of the US, however, I have yet to connect with people that are close by. 

A good lender or loan officer will see your specific financial profile, tell you what is and isnt possible, and ultimately should give you suggestions on what to aim for and focus on so that you can get what you need to eventually be ready to purchase. 

It all depends on what the individual would do with their risk tolerance.

Is the listed NMLS belong to the company or individual? 

In general, my advice to you would be to get a good financial advisor and ask some of your questions to get started with what you're looking to try and do.

Not many people have great financial success on their first flip, but it sounds like yours has been successful in that you've learned some really valuable lessons that will make you better and stronger on the next one. 

Investing in multifamily properties can be a great way to secure your financial future.