Am I correct in my understanding that shopping around and filling out several applications will only be reflected as one hit on my credit score?

Hopefully we hit it off in 2022!

Also i just closed on my first duplex and I’m excited to be getting into the rental game making me a landlord at the age of 25 .I’m motivated and looking to expand my portfolio to 1 to 5 duplex…5 to 10 and with god willing i hope i will hit my goal . 

Of course, when Covid hit, etc, I elected to go interest only which by that time was around $200/month.

Otherwise, use your big heart, give discounts and when you get hit with a huge bill for a roof, plumbing, or furnace you will find your tenants don't give a crap about you even after you discounted their rent for several years.

There are more then just Fannie/Freddie though so once you hit 6 some banks cut you off due to guide lines and risk. 

The one district nearing the cap on STRs is District 1, but even that still has somewhere "between 5 and 10" to go before hitting the cap.

I'd suggest hitting up the David Greene team and having their house hacking specialist find you a creative solution to house hacking in the bay area!

@Anthony Thompson hit all the right points.

Because you will hit a brick wall with the banks very quickly.