A key component to cash flow will be loan terms..you could consider trying to incorporate a seller concession towards an interest rate buy down or costs to help improve cash on cash returns.

I am uncertain about the mortgage part because I have grate interest rates being under my personal name.

Some hard money lenders may offer better leverage but the interest rate and origination fees will be higher.  

I believe house hacking is great to start as you can purchase a property as your primary residence (little to no money down) and get the best possible interest rate by doing this too...so for those reasons, it's 'best' if cash to enter the market is low.

As I continue to grow my portfolio I’d like to continue with the because their interest rates have been the best I’ve seen and they keep their loans in house.

AlabamaEffective Property Tax Rate (2019): 0.37%4Typical Home Value (2022): $189,9766Annual Taxes on Home Priced at State Typical Value: $702.9The current metro area population of Montgomery in 2023 is 374,000, a 1.91% increase from 2022.

We don't offer HELOCs on investment property because of the risk, rates would be well above 10% if not higher. 

This also reduces the risk of mingling funds, which is important for both clarity and legal reasons, especially if you decide to form an LLC in the future.Potential Issues with Personal Checking Accounts:Audits: Using personal accounts can complicate things during audits.

If you don't, your water rates will go up because now it is considered multifamily. 

Given your situation, it will be difficult to find a hard money lender to fund 100% without having any experience.