Then you talk about getting a team together, then oh, you have partners, and ask how should you set up your business.Full time is way off, unless you expect your partners to pay you a salary.  

Underwriter took the position that it looked like dad-in-law might be dummying up paystubs (or giving him a giant and real, but temporary, pay increase) to get his daughter and her husband out of the basement, and refused to use anything but the lower number that was on tax returns for husband's income calculation.

Then we change position all with in a few weeks.

What would you suggest in their position?

I would position it (diplomatically) that you work hard on your business to help improve the neighborhood and pay your share of municipal taxes, and you just want a reciprocation of that investment to repair the "city's property." 

What can I do to ensure that when I do get my first property it puts me in a better position to buy subsequent properties?

Lender takes first position over seller. 

Foreclosing ASAP is a way to get in front of that mathematical "certainty" and cut my losses.By contrast if 4% is a normal interest rate and 8% is "normal" annual appreciation, equity (ie, the safety of my position) is actually still going up each year.

Like it was said above, that is a very positive indicator you are onto something good. 

My strategy will be to use the BRRRR method (unique, I know) to invest in SFR and MFR (when available) for positive cash flow and to use a full-service team (agent, contractor, PM).