Is this playing with fire? 

I recommend starting local with your VA loan.

Just remember there are people out there that are starting out further behind you and have less than you that will buy one day.

Account Closed, our new Chief Product Officer, has already started to go to town bringing this site into the 21st century.

I'm finally about to get started and decided to go the "build to rent" route.

How does one start lending their own money to other RE investors? 

Unless someone is starting a cult, you probably won't even have 8 adults in a SFH anyways. 

Until I start making and attending physician salary, should I try getting into the duplex/multifamily world?

It will still be a period of time before rates start to come down further and it will take months before it is felt on the for sale market.

I have been investing for awhile but have only recently started picking up properties that I know will not cashflow because of the prices in the area I invest (Dallas/Fort Worth) and the higher rates.I am still picking them up because it will still pay down debt and provide me with depreciation that I can use to offset my flipping and lending income.