A few of the GCs I've spoken with are hooked on tech wealth and ignorance of home building, so they prefer to help these startup employees build their "forever" home (ie charge $700 per square foot). thanks!

This was just an exercise to see who prefers what and why...

I’m interested in using the preferred lender of the builder for a new construction duplex.

If so and you are willing to share, you can PM me back if you prefer. 

In my personal experience I can say without question I prefer having someone else manage the property.

It is actually preferred though to have your replacement property under contract when you close on the sale, since deals often fall through. 

One being the preferred option or less regulated option for raising funds.

(This way I can have lower payments and I don’t increase my debt any more which would give me a more favorable debt to income ratio.)Primary goal: To purchase my first investment property, preferably a multi family home, within the next 12 months.

This may or may not be the preferred people the brokerage company you work for prefers.

Myself as the agent haha, able to spot really solid deals on the mls and worked with my own preferred lender (traditional financing).