Keep reading, listening and watching here and it will gradually start to become more clear. 

I am living proof.5%-20% below current fair market value - This is gradually changing and the market is very hot right now.

Even during this COVID-19 Pandemic.5%-20% below current fair market value - This is gradually changing and the market is very hot right now.

Best of both words:  We live in our current home, find a tenant who is fine living w/gradual upgrades, drywall dust (highly unlikely.)Next best option: We move into the new home, find a renter for our own home WITH ability to write off upgrades to new home.QUESTIONAny legit strategies that will allow us to write off improvements to a rental property while we are the ones living in the property to do the majority of work ourselves?

You learn through the process and gradually build a portfolio.  

Under normal market conditions, prices gradually moderate and find equilibrium between supply and demand.

It's a win-win because we can do repairs gradually while getting rent as well. 

Since you cant push yourself , now you need leverage from your knees ( like women pushups) so  by doing that you are not putting all wait on your arms and you can doing it gradually until you built up muscles..SO YOUR CASH right now is you weak muscle , tough to lift your body ( Buy a house with current cash) SO you are using your knees ( Loan ) until you strengthen your muscle (cash) .PS ( No intention on offend Any women ) There are some women way stronger than men.. ( just wanted to make a simple analogy that we see in our common world... 

The program started to ramp down late last year as leases gradually ended and the Federal Emergency Management Agency stopped its reimbursements, which covered 75% of the costs.

And, despite all of the different resources and sales data that individual consumers have access to these days, the % of FSBO completed sales has gradually declined every year since 2004, and there are fewer FSBOs today than any time in the last 40 years.