My only problem is I don't have enough saved up to buy the 5-plex and with just getting started in the rental game will taking on a 5 unit building to start be too much? 

Congratulations on getting in the game @Jayden Thompson!

But not ethically or by law.It is possible that the seller instructed the agent to take the best offer above $XXX,XXX and not to play bidding games. 

Plus it is difficult to build credibility when you don’t have any skin in the game.

I’m glad you mentioned that point, and I fully realize real estate isn’t a half-in half-out game.

This is how HOA comes into the game of this transaction.2) The existing HOA document has 80+ pages and is a scanned version (so not text searchable), I don't have time to read all 80+ pages and site down with an attorney to modify item by item to what I need.

It was already late in the game & we were in a desperate scenario where we needed to access those funds ASAP.

Perhaps that has something to do with tenant mindset and gaming the system.

It's not a good area and I doubt gentrification is on the way but if you want to get in the game sometimes you have to make sacrifices.

That's the name of the game.