My client had some things come up that prevented her from executing, but these were some of the options I had put together for her, a regional bank, a regional CU, and a national bank.Reminder that NOI sizes CRE debt, and that's often what determines the down payment requirement, not anything to do with the client or particular lender, just the property itself.

Your mentor’s advice about starting with a rental property is solid, and a duplex could be a great option for house hacking.

Just an option, we love it.

The condo will limit the rental options to age restrictions. 

A 1031 exchange into multiple industrial properties, a mix of asset types, or even a REIT investment could spread risk while keeping you exposed to real estate.Hope this helps—sounds like you’re in a strong position with good options either way!

Happy to chat...being a local GC takes out a lot of the risk of the biggest variable for most investors (unpredictable rehab costs) and also allows you to consider more options than the average investor, with your rehab costs being significantly lower.

Hi David, If building long-term equity and scaling quickly are priorities, then option 2 aligns better for you. 

Also, research other areas where you can invest as a private money lender (fix and flip is just one option)... 

As you indicated you have plenty of options to start.

And, perhaps most importantly, make sure you have access to flexible financing options that can help you adapt to new market conditions.