Be firm. 

I would encourage you to stay firm on your buying standards (e.g., pg. 53 of The Book on Rental Property Investing), but flexible on how you might fund it.

My Name is Aaron Haho and I currently work for a full service commercial real estate firm in Minneapolis. 

These tend to be boutique firms that are either local or regional.50+ you start to get into more of the national players: CBRE, Cushman Wakefield, etc.These are general trends I see in the midwest, but price is also a factor. 

Also for you house hacking is most likely the best way to invest, if you get an FHA loan you only need to make a 3% down payment on a multifamily and then have your tenants pay your mortgage so you can live for free, and the income that will be generated goes towards qualifying you for a bigger mortgage from a bank.I'm started working as a Real Estate agent with a firm that focuses on working with investors so that way I can learn as much as possible about real estate investment.Hope this helps and good luck man!

I firmly believe that if you WANT to live there, so will someone else similar to you.

The firm and the people that I work for have been wonderful thus far, however, I do not find the work fulfilling in the slightest nor do I think I ever will.

You can work for a syndicator, or as a broker for brokerage firm.

Any potential developments that haven’t gotten firm/cash in hand financing for new development is not going to happen.

@Marci Stein what about thanking her for being an awesome tenant, but also firmly explaining that you had already advertised the unit at the higher price, and had a taker.