That's the risk in gambling. 

Similarly, if you put several Class D tenants in a Class A 4-plex, what do you think will happen to the property?

Gifting equity in a house may be more trouble than it is worth if you are not near the life-time exclusion1) Potentially having to get the property appraised everytime an equity is gifted2) Having a title company update the title every time3) Exemption of the gift tax return is normally for cash gifts below the annual gift tax exclusion, you may still need to file if you gift non-cash4) If there is partial ownership over several years, having to properly pro-rate certain items such as real estate taxes, mortgage interest and rental income if the property is a rentalBest of luck 

There are several out there that I am aware of that are taxed at rates which are currently lower than ordinary income rates. 

I tried several, but it didn't seem to work or click for me.

In my opinion, making an offer site unseen is not a risk.

Research the options available, compare their benefits and risks, and decide which approach aligns best with your goals and preferences.House hacking is a great start.

Me having several thousand good reviews help, but personally I would not book a property with 0 reviews. 

There are not a plethora of 'home run' STR's that are going to return in 2-3 years but there is significant value and definitely properties that will return 20%+ COC and definitely several dozen that are obvious values in their own right, and will absolutely carry all operating costs. 

There are several threads about Brad on this site where you may learn all you need to know about him, and perhaps there are similar threads about Rod.