That seems like my best option as of now, but it seems hard to ask them for funding before I even have a deal or any experience.  

I don't know your level of STR experience, but having some would be a big help.

I'm wondering if anybody has experience with sectioning off half of the closet and locking it?

It helps you find reliableproperty management partnerships and gives you everything you need to makeconfident hiring decisions: Expert Matching: Match with professionals who meet your criteria Extra Assurance: Licenses, experience, ratings, reviews, and more that can be cross-checked with BiggerPockets members Bonus Content: Receive an essential interactive workbook: “How to Interview Property Management CompaniesHere’s how it works:  Enter your market and what you're looking for Instantly see top matches and their qualifications Connect with only those you want to interview Bonus! 

To which I turn to the most trusted community in RE.Myself and two of my business partners are looking to start our journey in Real Estate development and am looking for some advice, we have experience in owning and managing rentals so none of that is new to us...just building the thing is.We are looking to start developing duplex homes across the Chicagoland Suburbs but cannot find the right person to talk to that can give us a clear idea of where to start.

Sorry to hear about your experience. 

I do not have PL experience but I have used Beyond Pricing and RevMax and we were able to set our own parameters and not just tie to it surrounding comp properties. 

I can give you some advice that I learned from personal experience, and from also taking a BP course on multifamily.1) Are there any particular sub-markets within Orlando that are well-suited for small multi-family investment opportunities?

Smart buildings equipped with IoT devices can enhance operational efficiency and tenant experiences.

Mostly because we have family/realtor there who have experience investing in West Lafayette.