The zoning board can impose fines. also need to adjust lease agreements to reflect tenants status. in the end, with how lenders reflect potential rental income v mtg (dscr) harder to qualify the loan. 

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

If you are looking to do this owner-occupied, conventional may work, but if you have issues qualifying, you can run the numbers as a non-owner-occupied property and pursue a DSCR loan.I am able to qualify for a conventional loan with a 5% down and an interest rate of around 7.5%.I would like to know how down payment requirements and interest rates for DSCR loans compare to conventional loans.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

But will a lender finance ?

Talk to a lender and see what you qualify for.3.

I have a "notebook" (that's basically a file folder, in Evernote) for different types of info I want to have access to later: lender info, referrals for service providers, property listings that I come across and want to check out later, websites that have demographic info... all sorts of things.

Sale Price compared to List Price has quickly regulated up to no noticeable difference between what a property is listed for and eventually selling for on average.

@Scott BridgehouseUnless the lender stipulates differently in their documents (like VA financing that requires owner occupany for the duration of the mortgage), 'owner occupancy' requires that you move in within 60 days and retain it as your primary residence for 12 months. 

Until you have established track record you probably won't find a lender willing to help you acquire (mortgage) a property in the name of an LLC.