I don't care because I want to gain PM experience.

That USA is GAINING not LOOSING market share or dominance in?   

Being a licensed agent obviously saves me the commission loss, but I would like to at least hold more than a year to stay away from short term capital gains taxes.

Gaining connections with agents, investors, and wholesalers for off market deals is obviously a sure way to find properties under value.

If I were to answer my own question - I'd say focus on flipping properties while you're young since it will give you a higher ROI and capital gains. 

In addition to that, here are a few pieces of advice that might help you on your journey:Wholesaling as a Launchpad: Wholesaling can be a great way to generate capital and gain valuable experience in the market without the need for significant upfront investment.

Great to hear that you’re focusing on small multifamily properties as a starting point; they can offer great cash flow and help you gain valuable experience as you scale into larger investments.

I know a vacancy is tough and it can be hard to find tenants in the winter, but you have to weight the costs and benefits and decide.If it's harder to find renters in the winter, try offering a month-to-month lease just to get through the winter, then move back to a one-year lease in the spring.

Where you hoping to flip or keep for passive gain? 

Since you lived there more than 2 years in the past 5 most, if not all, of your capital gains should be tax free.