There's no "1 answer fits all", but I consider 2 major things with multi-family:1.

@John Cohen is a pro when it comes to large and mid-size multifamily properties.  

So weighing the tax breaks of longer holds against the risks and opportunity costs, I believe Bruce's strategy makes less sense for me personally in my situation and my market, but works very well for him.This is what I love about RE, it is so nuanced and location specific that a guy like Bruce can do it 1 way, and be completely right for his situation and market, and another guy like me can do the opposite and also be right (I believe) for my situation and market ... different markets, different conditions, different strategies ... this may be confusing to newbies, but I think the value for others is not in the strategy to copy, but in understanding the thought process and rationale behind it ... then they can apply a similar thought process to their market and situation to custom fit a strategy for themselves.

You won't have a chance at this, just unrealistic....no money, no credit, no experience with this size properties.  

Please feel free to post here or message/add me if you are an agent that would like to hear more about my situation/plans and see if we would be a correct fit for each other.Thanks!

Problem is, I live in the Bay Area and can't get much which fits my budget or return expectations.

I'm not sure what the regulations are for how many mobile homes I can put on that property for the size and traditional websites have no data for the rental market in that area for me to gauge the market for myself.  

I asked him if I could show his house to a client, it wasn't a fit for them but he agreed to let me list it after a couple of conversations.

Like @Steve Babiak mentioned, call around to small-mid size community banks and see if they will entertain 20% down.  

Being an investor will follow that.Good luck and let us know how it goes.awesome to hear, steve. those are not items i had considered before now, but will read up on your post and elsewhere to see how it could fit into the overall strategy. appreciate the thoughts!