Hello everybody! I am a teacher by trade, but I am looking to get into real estate since I've been interested in it for years. Right now, I am not as interested in investing as I am in helping another investor in orde...

You should consult with local property managers and find what the average DOM would be to lease your home and rental rates etc. this would be a good starting point. 

Starting looking for opportunities last Fall and so far it's been terrible.

For your mortgage, a 30-year loan will give you lower monthly payments, which could be ideal while starting out.

New landlord here and I've been forced to start my first eviction.

I'd also start the marketing process 30-45 days before current tenants move out in most cases - it just seems easier to re-let a place that is currenlty occupied than one that's been sitting empty for a while for some reason. 

You have an excellent jump start- the VA loan is such an amazing tool to get the ball rolling.

Thirty years ago I started purchasing and living in properties in upcoming inner city neighborhoods that required renovation.

Quote from @Jackson Harris: Hey Kai'ler for our STR portfolio and what our investors do is start getting it listed on Facebook/Zillow rental/Furnish Finder/etc now as a LTR for that time period you're talking about.

It's time to start the process as everyone else mentioned above.