I have also had a title agent pull recent solds for me, which included off MLS transfers. 

The agents are sending me lots of properties and I'm pulling up the properties on a crime map and they are all in heavy crime areas.

If I can find properties with built-in equity, then Option B may be possible for me.The idea is not to do a BRRR or pull cash out, but simply to:⁍ Use less cash upfront on deal #1⁍ Preserve capital so I can move faster on deal #2⁍ Refinance later to remove PMI and ARM riskBased on my rough math:⁍ Initial loan at 10% down ≈ $180k⁍ To refi at 80% LTV without bringing cash, ARV would need to be ≈ $225k⁍ Realistically, most near-turnkey deals won’t hit that, so I expect I’d need to bring some cash to refi⁍ Estimated "extra cost" for this strategy (PMI + higher interest for ~6 months) is roughly $1–2kSo my core question is:Does it make sense to intentionally accept a bit of short-term inefficiency (PMI, ARM, refi costs) in exchange for faster portfolio growth and better capital velocity early on?

Comparable sales - Pull sold townhomes in the same area (same bed/bath, similar sqft) from the last 6 months on Redfin or Zillow.

I'm asking because I've been researching water damage in multifamily, and the numbers are brutal:- Average water damage claim: $17,000-$50,000- 14% of all multifamily insurance claims are water-related- Most leaks go undetected for 24-48 hoursI'm working on a solution—IoT sensors that detect leaks in real-time and alert you before they become $20k+ problems.

My plan is to house hack a quadplex (most likely in Nashville, TN) to live for free and start building equity.I am here to learn everything I can before I pull the trigger.

.• For rent comps, pull similar unit types (ex: 2–3 bed rentals within a 1–2 mile radius), even if they’re in duplexes, triplexes, or small apartment buildings.• If the units are different layouts, price them individually based on bed/bath count, square footage, and condition, then add them together for total gross rent.• When in doubt, underwrite conservatively — slightly lower rents and slightly higher expenses will protect you on the back end.• Make sure you’re factoring in realistic expenses: vacancy, maintenance, CapEx, management (even if you self-manage), taxes, and insurance.Since you’re trying to buy in the next 3–6 weeks, I’d also suggest mapping the deal structure early — purchase price, rehab (if any), financing type, and long-term plan (hold vs refi).

Our prospective tenant is having difficulty with TransUnion being able to pull a credit report for us.

Before pulling the line, I’d underwrite backwards and make sure the deal allows you to pay the HELOC down or out within 12–24 months.

Some properties the best return is a rental while others flipping is the better solution.