I think your idea is fine, but I don't think you need to use Hard Money if you have the ability to open a 203k.
Having just finished one myself, I have to say it was tedious but worth every penny if you find a good deal. You have access to any REO listing, and most of those listings now have a "first time buyer" grace period of about 10-20 days where they can only take offers from first time buyers, namely 203k program users. The institution I worked with was M&T and they were more than accommodating. Contractors got paid out fast, inspections were quick, and everyone was happy.
Hard money is tough, especially if you're new. They want a lot of collateral and probably rough terms to start off with, meaning you need to find some dirt cheap properties to get into. Also, to house hack properly, I suggest you finding properties that are already zoned for 2-4 units, unless you want to have a AirBNB type scenario and live with other people in the same unit.