Personally the draw to do section 8 is the Cashflow, automated payments, loan pay down, above fair market rent, and the lower needs for capital. 

Boost Your Experience Level Another key consideration is your personal experience with real estate investing.

Boost Your Experience Level Another key consideration is your personal experience with real estate investing.

If you are going to go heavy into real estate investing, there are many ways to defer taxes, so losing the personal residence deduction may not be an issue.

what's your personal guideline for how much to keep in reserves per property?

Depending where you are, some utilities are attached to the house and some to the person living there. 

And the second duplex hasn't appreciated sufficiently to take advantage of the capital gains exemption yet, so planning to hold for the next few years.For this third duplex, however, I would like guidance on how to title it:1) Given that I am paying cash, and I am not totally sure I will sell this within the "2 years in the last 5 years" rule, should I just put it in a LLC rather than my personal name (thereby missing out on the gains exemption)? 

HELOCs are for personal residences and CAN be underwritten by Fannie Mae.

But now come the details.Question #1: I do not want them to pay rent to "My personal name".

I will double check with my contact there, but the response that you guys have provided put me at ease.Always always call them personally to double check the wire instruction.And if local, just go to their local office.