People who currently pay ~$1,700 -2,000/month on rent can get into a multifamily property and pay almost half that amount for mortgage after collecting rental income from their tenants.

I collect rent monthly electronically and I have a part time maintenance man who handles the maintenance.

Rehab minor cosmetic, using private money for down payment and rehab.Rent at new appraised rateRefinance, if cash out is an optionRefinance cashes out original seller too.Use cash out to pay lender backFind a tenant/buyer willing to pay mortgage = current rents, and willing to put 10% down on new appraised value.Seller finance at higher interest (wrap)Collect cash flow, no landlording responsibilities, add the leftover cash out to the buyers down payment = new investment and repeat.

He has been on disability and collecting paycheck from government. 3.

Just because you get the money to pay the mortgage from rents collected doesn't mean the tenant pays your mortgage any more than your boss at work pays the mortgage on your home.You as a couple need to decide what is right for you.

The agent can't collect the commission directly from the tenant.

As a new investor I would caution you to be conservative with your occupancy rate or maybe more accurately- your rent collection rate. 

He could collect 3k/month by letting a big name company put the same board up with absolutely zero stress.

Otherwise, the lender will collect nothing until the court orders the property sold.  

I spent 3 years trying to buy a multi-family with the ideal set up of living in one unit alone while collecting rent from the other units.