We are looking to buy a multi family property close to where we are from for the first investment.

After all, if a fellow investor is willing to take unethical actions in a contract or against a buyer or seller, what makes anyone think this person won't also lack ethical principles when dealing with YOU directly? 

Should I get a couple of deals underneath my belt using my own capital before looking for outside capital?

You can still find lots of deals that cash flow, hit the 1% rule, and have lots of potential for appreciation.

. * The biggest advantage of a customizable fund is that it can be used for very small deals and raising very small amounts.

After finding a  suitable borrower to place your money with, but before the money trades hands, be sure to underwrite the deal thoroughly.

Home equity loans may not be obtained on land that is taxed as “open space” or as agricultural land.The loan may not close until twelve (12) days after the borrower has applied for the loan and has received a formal notice of the borrower’s legal rights.Not less than one day before the closing, the borrower must be given a final itemized disclosure of the actual charges associated with the loan, including actual points, fees, costs and interest.

My concern is that all of my info is coming from the agency and I do not know how to find and evaluate properties/deals yet on my own.

Do that every year and you can use the additional revenue to deal with these kinds of situations when they come up.Also, if you live in a regulated area, you may want to look up your right to pass through costs when you have to do a major repair.

I use Intuit for all my companies, I don't want to deal with another processor again.