If you rent this condo out and it brings in some positive cashflow, and then you move into a multifamily say 4 unit with an FHA or even conventional loan, you'll probably be spending about $40k-$50k all in on a high quality property.

I appreciate hearing about experiences with them specially if someone is with them for few years.Specifically - are they stable/viable  in long run- deal quality- liquidation ease ( if in funds)Thanks 

We got a guy here in Cbus/cleveland who fancies himself something of a youtube star, his listings tend to sit for a long time because they are overpriced, his rent projections are generally pretty high and not reality, and he generally doesn't accept offers with inspection contingencies. 

In some cases this can still be a good option, just be cognizant of how high the monthly payments will be due to the short duration that these loans are for.

I would highly suggest doing a 5 year PPP if you think the home will appreciate 5-6k by the time you next refinance.DSCR, 5yr PPP, 750 credit, 65% LTV Cash Out: 7.624% (no points), 7.374% (1 point), 6.99% (2 points).We crush TX

Obviously, you don't want to have a high interest rate locked in, but if it is the only way to close on an otherwise good deal, the short term cost may be worth it.

The guests are horrible, the expenses are very high, and the ROI is awful.

We have no desire to level down the quality of our rentals. 

My wife and both make a high income for our area and I feel we could save about $100K per year to keep buying. 

If buying becomes more affordable, then there will be less demand for rentals and the rent prices will go down.I can be wrong, just like everyone else, but I think this is a terrible time to buy a property with negative cash flow, even in high-appreciation markets like San Diego.