Start with your primary, rent out any spare bedrooms "house hack"Use that to practice upgrades, kitchen, bathroom, curb appeal... etcNow you have experience as a landlord and flipper, use that to buy a distressed propertyAdd 40% equity to the property through home makeover, refinance into a low cost mortgageNow you are cashflowing a healthy margin on a second property, use that to build equity over time, cashout later and buy your duplex/quad.If it's going to take you 10 years to save up a down payment for a small apartment building, yeah it makes more sense to start growing your portfolio with cheap SFR flips instead.Every market is different, every borrower is different, every property is different, it would be ill-advised to recommend anything without recognizing the individual's nuanced goals and objectives with their next acquisition.

Check out padpslit.com, I use the platform to rent out 8 bedrooms in my house individually

I am unsure my co-sign will be any assistance on an OO purchase.  

The type of your business or the fact that you are paying them as an individual does not take away the requirement to file 1099s." 

Instead, an individual should strive for self-growth and initiative and be aware of how they can add value to members of their team or those who have helped them.

My friend recently told me of this scenario where the person I lease to would perhaps then double book individuals and keep deposits. 

I'm genuinely asking to understand the use case for my self for an individual investor.Re. balance, as someone who is a former CPA and has prepared financial statements for multi-billion $ funds, I understand the important of a balance sheet.

We only learned this meeting with the towns assistant commissioner of planning who was a co-worker of my wife who worked in city planning for a while.

A strong partnership is built on trust, shared values, and aligned goals, so it's not something to rush into.I recommend attending in-person networking events to meet like-minded individuals.

For first-timers, leveraging programs like down payment assistance or FHA loans can make a big difference.