For example, the same house that is one or two blocks over on a quiet street should be more expensive. 

The local HML can usually pull the trigger much faster than an outside person does because more research has to be completed to asses risk in lending for that area.This is why local HML lenders rates might be lower than a national HML lender that prices a few percentage point higher and one to two points more to price in the unknown factor of the area.

As two veterans just starting out in real estate rental investing, our goal is to share our unique perspective and the key lessons we're learning along the way. 

Why those two states? 

We teach our clients in the STR game to use those strategies and the results are impressive.  

Two quick thoughts is partnership, equity style.

I smell a refi in your pipeline a year or so from now, remember this isn't a home loan, so "two years of tax returns showing a profit" is NOT a hard/fast rule at all to get the best terms.

If you have physical cash saved, it needs to be deposited in your bank account, and it must sit in your account through at least two full account statements. 

From what I understand the two best strategies are Skip tracing - Cold call or mailing.

The price was negotiated and we all agreed on a 10 year term, but I could not exercise my Option for the 1st two years unless they fell back into default.