Motivated sellers (there are always a few in any market who need to sell and move) would have to lower their asking price to find a buyer who is able to make an offer.https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/affordability-index.aspWith regards to finding the local opportunity areas, the seasoned investors there said they followed the cement trucks to the job sites.

Full re-pipe and re-wire, full sheetrock downstairs (ceilings too), upstairs just new texture, all doors replaced, all cabinets replaced (upper and lower), all new flooring (enigineered wood, tile and carpet upstairs), etc. 

If it's for a fix and flip or fix and hold to rent, then yes you can use a HML and then refinance out to a traditional lender with lower rates and longer terms.

Additionally, they may have fallen behind on remodeling and deferred repairs so they will be expecting lower offers.

Syndications are similar to REITs but, on average, have higher risk as they are chasing lower quality assets. 

The biggest advantage would be lowering their monthly fee by having 2 properties under management with them.

Either looking into a live in fix and flip since the housing market is hit with rates being lower and houses in high demand or looking into buying a fix and then turning it into a rental after 2 years of living in and remodeling or looking into a multi family where I can live in a u it and rent the other.

Also, we’d like to get a lower interest rate on that duplex as a primary home.

(i.e. if you have made 12 months of payments, they will re-am your loan for 348 months base on the new loan amount after chunk payment is applied) This is an awesome way to lower your monthly payments without having to refinance the entire loan.

Not great - but if you can find way to make the deal better (lower purchase price, minimize rehab, increase rents, get a duplex/fourplex instead of a SFH, then the numbers start making a little more sense.