I didn’t have the $4-5K to close on the property, so naturally I went back to the seller and offered $145k if he pays closing costs.

For example they may have been an expert in marketing or negotiating, a top performer, an accountant, a broker, a professor, very analytical (which always came natural), expert flippers, I could go on and on..

Being a multifamily and house-hacking investor myself I would naturally recommend doing your best to make a multifamily property work for you to decrease the financial burden of housing costs and accelerate your savings to funnel into further investments.

I find SC though at least were I am working to be on the cheap side.. its all sand.. saves you a ton in rock.. 

I’m looking at the Little Rock and Cleveland areas.

When you say "we" I think is only natural for me to assume that you mean you and your significant other. 

Radiant ceiling heat that I have seen has wires sandwiched between two pieces of sheet rock.

Portfolio lenders by nature lend on a group of properties usually with at least a half million minimum.They usually require you to form another LLC with them to transfer your properties  to  

I said, of course I want the highest amount possible, naturally, for a cash out refi.

For biking, you can rent bikes and do some trails at Matthew Winters park near Red Rocks (15 mins west of downtown Denver), there's some fun trails there.