Typically even if you run into reasonable unforeseen expenses,  those added costs can be absorbed by a rental asset over time whereas the same can't be said about a strictly for-sale area.

Location is a big thing I am trying to focus on and am even driving past the houses at night after work to check out the area and make sure it would be somewhere where I would like to live.

To be clear, I am not asking to put price of rent, or even list metrics for some sort of ratio in the listing. 

Even with 20% down, monthly payment is $2,200.

Here’s my reasoning before even spending any time reviewing the syndicators track record or credentials.

I would say that is true pretty much across all markets, but multifamily has been over priced for quite some time, and even so-so deals are usually snatched up pretty quickly. 

This is of course assuming that I can trust my brother at his word... which I 100% do, that the house will become mine, even though he will still be on the deed and the mortgage.What are the pros/cons of either strategy?

Pace adds a lot of value and I'm not even in his course I only follow the guy.

I imagine a lawyer is part of it but I also likely need a new PM and what even is the course of action to get keys/info/etc from the existing (unresponsive) PM? 

You’ll fight to get them to pay for even small things.