Between 20–25% down, closing costs, and initial rehab reserves, it’s common for total cash outlay to reach the $60K+ range even on a smaller property.That said, there are creative financing options that can help you conserve capital and scale faster:Private or hard money lending for acquisition and rehab — allowing you to refinance into long-term DSCR financing once stabilized.Partnerships or joint ventures where you bring the deal and management, and a capital partner contributes funds.Seller financing or “subject-to” structures — especially with motivated sellers sitting on free-and-clear properties.Portfolio/Blanket loans that can free up equity from other assets to fund your next purchase.It really comes down to your long-term strategy: if your goal is steady cash flow and long-term holds, tying up capital in a solid asset can make sense.

I'd venture to guess that 80-90% of my mid term rental tenants come from Airbnb.

Asking for charitable donations to offset the losses of a for-profit business venture gone bad.

I am in hopes he will join me in this venture.   

My wife and I just moved to the Knoxville, TN area this year and are looking to start our investing journey here in our own backyard before venturing out to other markets - looking to buy our first investment house this year (single family residence or small multi-family).

Whatever real estate venture you pursue as an active participant can potentially qualify you under the material participation tests.

Syndications, while passive, are more often high risk/high reward ventures.

Curious what areas you’ve found most promising, are you sticking closer to the city or venturing further out?

As with many here, I've been using a mix of Cozy (now Apartments.com), Stessa, and a few other custom workflows for turnovers that have worked well in the past, but with the takeover of Cozy by Apartments.com I'm now out shopping for better options for my primary, tenant-facing service. 

@Brittney Yang To structure a short-term partnership for your duplex investment, establish a joint venture or LLC with clear roles, responsibilities, and a timeline for dissolution.