Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae loan products.

One problem is you're two months into the game and Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac won't touch you so that precludes a whole host of lenders. 

I would recommend the book big Shifts Ahead, by John Burns, I think it’s John Burns lead economist of Fannie Mae.

I like my career in engineering, but would like to achieve financial independence within the next 10 years just to have the freedom to work when I want, on what I want, where I want.The biggest thing I've learned so far in this process is that there is significant work involved in coordinating and closing a renovation loan, be it Fannie Mae Homestyle or (I imagine) FHA 203k.

So unless the properties have appreciated significantly you are not going to have much option.If you think there is a possibility of appreciation with rehab then you can do a refi using Fannie Mae HomeStyle Renovation loan to rehab the property and increase value.Not sure what else to offer for the existing properties.To buy a property for you and your family, you don't need significant down payment.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac allowed a 3-month suspension of foreclosure sales, late fees and credit score reporting, and allowed mortgage servicers to work out forbearance plans that could delay payments for up to a year.

I missed the line that that is the reason as to why portfolio lenders exist, for those who have exhausted the their Freddie Mac & Fannie Mae loans. 

Fannie Mae will finance up to 10 properties to the same owner.

Theres more and more the list goes on but its a good intro.For contventional financing its typically 25% down for owner occupant or non owner occupant but there are programs for as low as 5% down on conventional financing for owner occupants called my community mortgage through fannie mae.

To this end, I want to take advantage of an FHA, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac low down payment loan to get started with rental properties in the 2-4 unit range.