They want to send me to the commercial loan department where the rates are awful, closing costs are high, and the requirements much more robust.What if I just get a second-home construction to permanent loan, wait 12-16 months for it to be built, spend another 90-120 days furnishing it, and then refinance into a traditional 30 year fixed as an investment property?

Too many dangers if it is in a high crime area in the sense of vandalism, theft, etc. 

I would prefer to self manage to avoid the high poperty management fees (I think its around 10% + 1 month leasing fee, etc.) and I also worry that the property manager will likely not be as dilligent in finding high quality affordable vendors, etc.I see 4 major pieces of work1) Tenant finding: I feel comfortable doing this remotely.

this  make sense  if you were planning to  refnance  the  1st mtg anyways  ...otherwise  - I would either keep looking for another 95% heloc  or  make due with a  90% cltv  heloc programRight, it sounded like that’s the way in which Lower is able to offer that high percentage and offer this program.

I want to get him to understand if our monthly payment is too high, we don't have the extra cash lying around to fix up the other unit and get it to market rents.

One of our tenants had a higher water bill due to the leak that has happened because of water heater failure. Who is responsible for the water bill according to NC Landlord Tenant laws. Is it Landlord or tenant? 

I'm highly interested in learning about Wholesaling, Rebuilding and Renting.

The high school sits right on this road and so do all the big box stores and restaurants.

The cure to these high interest rates is high cap rates, or higher down.

As for house-hacking an existing quad, only putting 5% down in this high interest rate environment will almost certainly mean you won't be "living for free" as is the point of house hacking.