Some people like zonal heating instead of using a central HVAC ducted system.

In the meantime, I'm thinking about using a hard money lender to have the proof of funds needed to submit my offer.

One thing that has helped me with juggling cards from a personal perspective is using a credit service called creditsesame.com  The site helps you keep a monitor on your credit rating and suggests methods to improve your rating.  

You could try using a shade cloth, pop out the fiberglass sections and weave the cloth between, or even just buy one large enough to cover the whole section. same concept as below, just on a wall.Or you could just build a privacy screen out of wood, pop out the fiberglass sections and replace with some form of wood pattern.

If both sides are using a realtor there goes 6% of your sales price.  

Would the cash on cash return be the same if I invested with a REIT compared to the 50k being a 20% down on a multifamily buy and hold using a property manager? 

I buy/sell low-end properties typically in rougher areas and my investors do fine as they purchase cash then refi using a delay financing.  

If I line them up with a cash buyer or lease option, would time still be a factor since we aren't using a lending institution? 

You would more likely be using a 506b, under which you can take up to 35 non-accredited investors, so long as 1) you already know them (i.e. family, friends, people in your network), and 2) they are "sophisticated" in that they understand the risks of the investment and that they could lose all their money.Happy to answer any other questions you have.

Full service will cost you about 18-30% of your gross income and you can do some hybrid options (like me) for 10% using a company like Evolve VR.