Goals and business model would affect your decision.Small multi family units often provide mor ebang for your buck (better cash flow for the cost) and you get multiple doors with only one loan.Down side is the exit strategy is usually limited to investors only where as a SFR can be sold to both end users and investors.Multi familys can offer forced apprciation via increasing income and lowering expenses, but SFR's, if bought at the right time in the right place, can offer better appreciation from property value increases.If you want to ultimatley run a landlording business and earn enough cash flow to support you and your family, multis may be the better choice for you.

Then there is Location--the area of YOUR choice: which adresses the goals you have set for yourself.

Would it be safe to use that lease and just change some things based on my choices (about pets, smoking, etc.) or do most people hire a lawyer to do one from scratch?

It's the observers choice to believe.

I read an article about a woman who got mad at her husband, and she set him on fire while he was in bed, asleep.

Bill, given a choice we'd have repaired the pool if the numbers made sense.

I strongly believe that any choices made for investing by an immoral or unethical person for financial gain will eventually comeback on them.I go to bed every night feeling good about the person I am and how I conduct my business.

Real estate is my favorite choice (SFD, mult-units), but you can invest in performing notes, syndications, private placements, etc.2.

Work it out, but get a lien waiver for those jobbers before you give him any more money, waivers from everyone he had on the site to the date any new disbursements are to be drawn, if he can't or won't I'd say you have no choice but to get an attorney or get ripped off.

The company I have been working with usually has 4 good choices.