Some of them will even help you with the pre-approval process through their preferred lender.If you want to be their first go to guy, don't be a pain in the rear to deal with.

I'm still deciding on a niche, but I'm thinking about buying a 3-4 unit rental unit to start out.  

Preferably a 50/50 deal without me having to pay an arm in leg to get started. 

Peeling paint, ripped screens, bad roof, broken windows, damaged siding, wood rot, chimney falling down, etc. are all things (and more) that they will cite you on.Personally, actually living in Milwaukee, I prefer rental properties to be held to a standard of decency because I don't want rentals dragging down the neighborhood. 

We prefer to work with local financial institutions that service their own loans.

I know it may b a difficult niche to do but that's where my interest lay if I could get some info that would b greatly appr. thxs in advance 

I'd prefer to see you pay retail (as long as it cash flows), get the unit rent ready and use your brokers license to find your own tenants so, at least that way, you have more control over the investment.

The best asset you can have is knowledge, you really won't have that until you learn real estate instead of systems or niche approaches of dealing in real estate, that's not an education, it's simply information. :) 

Most lenders would prefer not to do construction financing if it's avoidable.

I also prefer showing appointments vs. open houses to prevent that stampede atmosphere.