If you don't have mortgages on the properties, it can be cost effective to do a property package policy with a commercial insurance company for the rentals - this is where you can insure multiple properties on one policy. 

When investing, you typically want your money to be as effective as possible, but that's not to say there are non monetary things that add value to your investments.

They are most likely to help you out with creative financing as the presence of checking and savings accounts allows them to have enough coffers to maintain loans on their books (called portfolio loans).

Too much liability and it's a real pain to maintain it.

And when I didn't I wasn't as efficient or effective as I was when I did follow the routine. 

Not likely that people are just going to start bringing you the deals without your constant involvement of looking for deals and maintaining connections.

Still 'writing it off, just different terms and timing :-)Looking into the effects on inheritance is definitely a good idea.

I didn’t know that would effect my DTI.

.$500,000 purchase price. 10% total down payment for owner occupied loan.I put down 7% aka $35,000My partner puts down 3% aka $15,000I occupy the house, make the mortgage payments, and benefit from future cash-flows if the place is eventually rented out.My partner maintains 3% equity in the house at all times.Is there any reason to share any other expenses (property tax, CapEx) if I will be the one actively managing everything and benefiting from it?

This would mainly be in a higher priced area(I live in the East Bay of Bay Area).Find a partner willing to invest and to live in the house(one of the homes) purchased.Find a home or lot for sale that is big enough to be subdivided while maintaining a good size lot on each parcel.