A few years ago sellers weren't accepting offers with financing because there were so many cash buyers. 

If your priority is cash flow, then you need to look at markets that support that.

Purchase price: $240,000 Cash invested: $39,000 Sale price: $342,000 Held property for 3 years and rented out the property for 2 years with a rental profit total of $22100 How did you finance this deal?

My first deal was 5% down house hack on a 4 unit and then I used equity from that first deal to do 2 more deals once with a cash out refi and once with heloc.

Delays only create bigger problems.3.Start simple—cash flow is king.

Assign the contract to a cash buyer for a price higher than the contract price.

I'm interested in flipping, and short-term rentals at the moment to build good cash flow, then pivot into more of a buy-and-hold/appreciation play 10-15 years from now.

If you know where to look and have the right time, you can find properties that cash flow.

Cash buyers & investors are also skiddish due to the increase in crime as well as DC’s crackdown on AirBNB’s and tenant/friendly TOPA policies.

Sounds like you may look at a cash-flow approach in this scenario.