This allows you to purchase with 3.5% -5% down allowing you keep most of your money reserves.

Access to Market Data and Inventory in Real-TimeThis allows you to make informed decisions immediately.

This also allows you to build reserves and monies to cover repairs/maintenance, capital expenses, and vacancy costs. 

The initial lender allowed my JV partner to co-sign the initial loan and not have to be part of the LLC currently holding title the property.

Anyway, you are allowed to pay yourself,  but that turns passive rental income into actively earned income, subject to self-employment taxes @Nicholas Radina

No bank allows a family member to be the buyer in a short sale.  

That’s not a political or even moral arguement just basic math, in theory if zoning allows it and we get more skilled immgration at least economic theory suggest they should be able to build more houses per person that they consume.

Also, there's new functions such as the "coming soon" category through the MLS which allows brokers to be notifed of upcoming properties without the property transmitting to zillow, realtor.com, etc. for anyone to see.2. 

We would need to hire a management company (found one we like, they take 30% but allow owners up to 60 days/year occupancy).

The trust/LLC gives you checkbook control allowing you to bypass the additional transaction fees and time delay when making investments.