Getting Started With Questions About Financing

[Jesse Boren]

Good day BP!  I am in the military and I'm interested in investing in real estate for the duration of my active duty/AGR service at which point I can take my military retirement and cash flow from single family/multi-family units and truly retire at a relatively young age.  The strategy there would be to buy and hold properties, preferably all in the state of Texas (San Antonio, Abilene, San Angelo, Amarillo, Lubbock, Metroplex), and rent out for the foreseeable future.  The state is still left up to chance but it seems likely.  

I am just getting started with my REI education with the expectation to purchase my first property in approximately six months. I don't have much capital at this point or at least not enough to where I'm willing to part with most if not all of it for a down payment using a traditional loan. I also don't anticipate that I will have enough by the end of the six months so I am hoping to use a VA Loan on a multi-family unit coming out of the gate.

I have read a couple of e-books now and a variety of blogs about this subject.  Seems that the majority of the information is promising aside from the occasional bad experience typically stemming from the original purchase price.  With that, does anybody else have any good information about how to go about using this strategy to maximum effect?  I am reading information about "retail price" using a VA Loan?  Does this mean that you can't negotiate a deal using a VA Loan...for instance, can I not use the 70% rule?  Can you use the BRRR Strategy with a VA Loan? I'm sure I will have more questions moving forward but I think this is the glaring one for me at the moment. 

I apologize for my ignorance up front.  I am very appreciative of your time and information, all.