I am paying anywhere from 500 to 750 and that's for duplexes and larger multifamilies. 

Many syndicators structure the deal so that if there is great upside they get a larger portion.  

You bird hunters can wait until after the war, sorry-not-sorry.A local/regional bank that in March 2020 did not do 1st position mortgages, couldn't really set such a division up in COVID, so they have no choice, and must either continue offering HELOCs, or forego all real estate related profit entirely.

I want to build a portfolio of MF homes using creative financing (starting with one) then eventually scale to larger deals. 

Many larger lenders now bundle and sell their loans.

That was one of the larger problems I saw financing the property as being an "investment property" but I think your idea eliminates that. 

Questions to ask yourself are if you are able to service the larger debt payments on your own if the investment goes south?

I don’t really see an absolutely “wrong” choice here.

Which may not seem like much different but when you move to larger properties it can be a $5-7,000 difference which starts cutting into profits.

It wouldn't be that hard to get rid of them if you hadn't bought in NYC.....I know, your choice, just sayin'......