Here are some “creative financing” strategies / tactics that increase your leveraging/buying power.  

Brendan, the VA loan can be a powerful tool in your investing career especially as you continue to PCS around the country.

Total still owed $13,600 (rent, late fees, legal fees) and $550 for the locksmith.Place reeks of pot, she had her adult son, who by the paystubs left behind only made $152 a month and spent his days laying on the couch (which reeked of pot) smoking and playing x-box (abandoned and power supply cut up). 

What incentive is there for them to perform well on the deal if they have already made 18k off of you and it is only your money at play. 

Knowledge is power and for me, it builds my self-confidence so I’ve been bingeing podcasts, books and also recently gotten my real estate license so that I could have a better understanding of real estate in and of itself, with the hope of building upon that basic knowledge with what I’ve been learning about in real estate investing.

If its college students/young professionals @Nathan Gesner gave some solid idea.If there are a lot of tenants with young kids, maybe a safe play areaAll depends who lives there

More power to you. 

I have two friends who own rental properties and they are successful with their properties, I read Rich Dad Poor Dad twice along with Rental Property Investing and Power of Habit, I've been told by multiple people apart of the Baby Boomer and Generation X that they wish they invested in Real Estate at my age, I was a Resident Advisor at my University and I enjoyed that role so some of the skills are transferrable, and lastly this is the best time for me to take a risk.

Or is it mostly just a play to decrease volatility in booking rates? 

It's your agent's job to play nice with others while also keeping your best interest top of mind.