Below is what my numbers are looking like and I spoke to one local mortgage company and provided below some numbers that they gave me.

Owner Rez is very pricey but the more properties you add the cheaper it gets.

FHA is definitely one route you can go, in the current market with elevated home prices, and interest rates its alot more difficult to utilize and fha loan because with any 3-4 unit property you will need to pass what is called "self sufficiency test" essentially fha has a rule for any 3-4 unit property that requires 75% of the projected rental income to cover the total mortgage payment in order to qualify for financing.

Due to my 2-1 buy down, on April 2024, my mortgage will be going from $2,546 to $2,803 and then to $3,071.25 in April of 2025.

$780 is cheap for two 1040s and two 1065s.But if cost is your only motivating factor you could go even cheaper and avoid the one-time fee. 

The other 3 rents pay your entire mortgage/expenses and now you're living for FREE.

Is your DSCR ratio greater than 1-meaning are you cash flowing (according to the lender's criteria of mortgage, property taxes and insurance (and HOA) if applicable).

Otherwise, keep going with your cash since its generally cheaper to use your own cash instead of borrowing funds. 

I read your book about estimating the costs; however most of it didn't apply since the cost of the areas are so different.However, there are cheaper areas very close, like Baltimore, just 45 min to an hour.

Once its completed you can either rent it out, sell it or continue to live there and house hack it meaning you basically have roommates to help you pay for your mortgage.