They may justifying paying more by claiming they’re paying the premium for the “business”, but since the “business” and the real property are inseparable the property owner will still benefit from the increased value due to the arbitrager efforts.  

Private funding from a relative may provide flexible terms and reduced financial risk, but formal agreements are necessary, and interest paid is deductible for you but taxable for them.Traditional investment property loans offer stability and tax benefits like deductible interest and property taxes but require larger down payments.

If you are specifically targeting travel nurses, it will benefit greatly if the home is near a hospital. 

Your first challenge is - you shouldn't buy based upon zip code!

Plus, house hacking with a VA loan’s benefits (no down payment, low interest) is a no-brainer.After a year, transitioning into BRRRR with single-family homes makes sense, especially since you’re working on your real estate license—it’ll sharpen your skills and help you spot opportunities.

And I feel the ideal portfolio can benefit from the diversification of both.I feel directly owned properties are great because they give me maximum control and the ability to tweak them exactly how I want.

But we can only assume since you stated this does not have to be disclosed because the work has been repaired, that you have confirmed the reapirs were done properly and in acccordance with any and all codes. 

I think there is a way to do it by zip code but that's not really granular enough.

These are professionals with additional training and a stricter code of ethics.

Lots of lessons learned and greatly benefitting from this wonderful forum.