@Caitlin Logue A smart person will learn from their mistakes, a wise person will learn from others mistakes.

I personally have 6 in the area but I bought before it got crazy.

I seek zoning variances frequently in Philadelphia, but its a lengthy process and don't personally find it a worthwhile pursuit for legalizing a second unit in a building.

You can also get a personal loan up to $50K which typically is to pay off credit cards debts, do renovations etc, but it can also be used as a down payment.

The larger your deal funnel, the less likely you are to struggle finding a deal in these tough markets.Hope this helps a bit!

You can get personal references but nobody gives you a bad personal references.

The good part is I have access to MLS the bad part is I'm struggling with finding houses below market value as prices in the area are already incredibly inflated.

They noted, while they can technically go to 75%, in recent deals, they are closer to 65% due to DSCR covenants.And maybe this is expected, but I would anticipate having a personal guarantee, fully-recourse loan for retail.  

It is something I wouldn't use personally.

While personal credit may also be evaluated, particularly if a company member holds at least 25% ownership, demonstrating sufficient liquidity is equally crucial.