My fear when picking up a multi is that I'm inheriting bad tenants that I'll have to pay to evict...while paying for the building in it's entirety without any cash coming in.

For FPI, I would pick up the phone (they would rather talk to you directly to give you the best advice) and talk to:-Bruce Young at Ross Diversified Insurance Services, Inc. (714)379-0163-David Roberts at J.B.

The FHA program was not designed for upper-middle class income earners.

Online course is not cheap too, but it's the price of a college class.

This is your total basis that you will split between land and building and possibly other asset classes if you were to do a cost segregation.  

Looking to start off with a duplex (or possibly triplex/quadplex) in the C+ to B class.

You can see in just a few years how the VA property can easily be a bigger boost to your net worth than the Memphis properties.Now realize that even with a PM the scaling of the number of units implies more work and effort.  3 units is unlikely not to be more work than 1 unit (assuming similar asset class - Class not lower than C+; I only recommend expert in slums try the D+ and below rental units).I would not choose the historically low appreciation markets but if I did it would only be for MF+.  100 units at $200/month cash flow can be significant even if the cash flow only increases at the rate of inflation; this likely provides a very nice life but probably not financial freedom especially if you are living in San Diego.  500 units with that cash flow most people would have financial freedom. 

If you allow her to count unreported income but do not allow someone in a protected class you are liable to be hit with a suit.

We did this for three months, and it taught me the real value of a PM for a C class property!

Seems like it only works in middle to lower class areas.