From a purely financial perspective the choice should be easy, you should be buying as even if you get a great deal on a cash flow property you would just be handing over that income over to your rent.

My roommate agreement specified things like: furnished or unfurnished, maximum occupancy- limiting number of overnight guests as it's bills paid roommate living, if it's co-ed or single sex, no smoking vaping e-cigs or substances on the property, cleaning chores/expectations, no underage drinking, pet rules, what utilities are included up to what limits and what utilities aren't included, etc.Require a security deposit from each roommate, even if small.Get a locking thermostat cover; set utility allowances so people won't take advantage of "all bills paid" rooms and have the daughter/master tenant or whoever is paying the utility bills be the person who sets the utilities.

You CAN drink the water!

Pure equity lending is done in all markets I know of.  

The Meet Up group Jarod gave you the link to is more of a pure networking situation where no one is trying to sell you their course.  

And from a pure business perspective, you get better loans from banks personally for investing then through your business.

And that they would buy me a drink if I got there.

I am purely interested in protection and preservation of my assets.

It's a pure gamble at this point and, I'm not much for gambling and if I were, I think I have better odds in Vegas.

What % commission split you have with broker is purely negotiable, whether you are a principal, or not.