Conventional lenders want to see operating data that supports the loan. 

We are local operators and we've gone through a few property management companies.  

Where would you look to find a reputable and ethical private lender for buy and hold properties.

The Agent said he was getting ~20-30 homes under contract a month, and would either wholesale or fix/flip.My question is, how would you get set up with such an operation?

That's what I mean by "jumping the education curve" - if buying and operating a small multi family gets you a profit of X, but rehabbing and zoning a mixed use gets you a profit of 2x, I don't think it's likely people will reach the 2x if they start by "passively" investing remotely.  

If you got less money, then you are giving it to a turn-key operator some place in the mid-west to buy you some pigs. 

What operating expenses are you subtracting from your income to get NOI aand what is your NOI?

I think it's better to just keep properties together under one LLC if you are a small operation - even though there is always risk the amount you end up spending and time spent on overhead of keeping separate books, checking accounts, etc adds up fast.  

Make sure they are operating ethically.

Some of my lenders use the operative word private for a reason.