An eviction will make it challenging for her ever to find a quality rental in low vacancy areas.  

Owners who prioritize full control of their future profits or plan to sell soon may not find this appealing.

Take a look here to calculate what you might have available if you do not sell OR refi out of your current VA (and with that rate you do not want to have to refi) : https://lgy.va.gov/lgyhub/guaranty-calculator

The key is to consistently put yourself out there and learn from others in the process.Good luck!

What would you recommend for someone just starting out?

I know out here on the West coast with our digitalized title plants that each title company has it would be a matter of a few clicks for customer service department to transmit a copy of the mortgage to me..

We're here to help! 

The key to investing out of state is finding a good property manager.  

Platforms like Angi or a quick Google search can also help you find reliable options.

I just bought my first rental property in Baltimore, MD, and I’m planning to rent it out by the room, including the basement.