The alternative is that we buy and hold larger properties together, however this complicates the situation in that we would need to be in a very long term partnership, which we are not ready for at the moment.

Check your guidelines as most states won't allow extremely large rate increases but they have to be over time.  

New people moving in may not care, but long term residents will not enjoy the change.I don't see that this bill drive people out of California, not in any larger numbers than already leaving.

Designing logos, answering customer complaints for agents you're responsible for as a broker, accounting, training, licensing, RECRUITING....I can't believe the amount of turnover, so probably 80% of your time should be/will be recruiting new agents for your brokerage....and then you have to figure out how to take care of the other million tasks in your 10-20% of the time which is important.   

We want to find a larger apartment as our next property.

But I have never tried for anything larger than a 4 plex.

This means a larger payment and your DTI will need to be able to handle it as well.  

If it's a larger organization, feel free to inquire about their different staff qualifications.2.

I believe our credit union has a $20M cap so eventually we'll need to establish a relationship with another bank but I know Enterprise Bank (larger regional bank in our area) has a $100M cap per borrowing entity.

While I am not saying that it is impossible to accomplish this task, each person has to take these proposed "models" in perspective and to their own situation.