These accountants believe that purchasing from a related party is fine as long as it is an arms- length documented market-consistent transaction.   

As long as you're doing that, there's always a risk, and 50 years from now it will probably be illegal everywhere to operate STRs in residential zoning, just like it's illegal to operate a steel mill there. 

I have heard though that most lenders don't mind this as long as it is not changing the ultimate owners on the property - such as a partnership where one person sells to the other.

As long as the cash flow is higher than the note I am good.

It's an awesome way to jump into RE yes its scary at first but as long as you have a criteria going in it eases some of the emotions during the process my biggest thing was lower my cost or keeping it the same.

@Jordan Kaylor   In that case, you would be using what is called "delayed financing" which just means you will be financing the property after you already own it (as long as it done before 6 months after closing) and if there is not current financing on the property.

You can do this with almost any business, as long as you are bringing in the clients, leads, deals and etc..

With a Conventional Loan you can buy a SFH, Duplex, Triplex or Quadplex with as little as 5% Down if it is your primary residence as long as you have the intention of occupying one of the units for 1 year after closing escrow.This is the strategy I have personally implemented and have assisted many of my investor clients in doing the same. 20% Down is also beneficial as it keeps your payment low but it does limit your ability of buying more real estate faster.i would be more than happy to discuss the different strategies with you over the phone or in person.

Due to these challenges, a successful client acquisition has taken as long as 1.5yrs(!!) 

It’s pretty common for people to buy homes even if they have other debt, like student loans, as long as their debt-to-income ratio is in a good spot.