But I feel it’s easier to have more doors under 1 roof than to have to have 8 different property managers and lose all your cash flow when your tenant moved out and it takes 1.5 months to get the property ready to rent again and move in the next tenant.

The strategy is counterintuitive.But, I think its a matter of how fast do you expect to pay it back and where do you lose the least opportunity. 

Either way your realtor probably just doesn't want you to lose the house over $1000 since getting you under contract was tricky enough.If the lender needs the repairs done, ask your realtor what they recommend and work it out with the seller.

If you use the RPA you will lose the deal in paperwork.

Which leaves me out of the picture on the residential properties, unless we bid on the 5 plex first and I lose and move to the houses.This is where my younger brother comes into the picture (who is allied with my older brother against me and my older sister).

You're losing money if you paid all cash for these units.You doubt it? 

If he doesn't, then there doesnt seem to be a way to buy a property and not LOSE money.

She ended up taking a bit of a bath, and I ended up overpaying a bit but not having a kitchen remodel on my plate means that I don't lose a whole summer of rent and have huge headaches trying to do it long distance, so it all works out in the end.I settled on student renters for several reasons. 

If you boldly went under contract without an inspection contingency you will lose your binder payment. 

So, (assuming your numbers are accurate) if you sell you aren't losing money even though you bought this house a year ago.