Good luck on your journey and I hope you provide the financial security you hope for to your daughters. 

I would prefer 4, but I have to make the numbers make sense for me and my current financial position.I attended a webinar last night from a veteran who's been in real estate for years and understands use of the VA loan.

So just something to think about.I would be looking hard at their financials, and I would look hard at what capex is needed. 

It's been great, but I'm not able to financially benefit from any of that money.

Not to mention scams are so prevalent these days, it's stressful vetting all these companies and making sure my financial info isn't getting into the wrong hands.

Given your financial constraints and the property's ineligibility for historic tax credits, this approach allows for reinvestment into assets more aligned with retirement account rules.For future real estate investments, you don't need an LLC for tax reasons.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

Depending on your market it may not make financial sense at all.

A good real estate accountant can save you thousands of dollars by leveraging entity selection and formation, tax deductions, cost segregations, bonus depreciation and tax planning.I recommend finding an accountant who specializes in real estate taxation, business taxation, financial planning and tax planning.You may want to consider working with your accountant remotely to expand your options.I would also recommend looking for a accountant willing to work with you throughout the year.

Helps with your debt to income, better opportunities at cash flow, and typically requires less down to purchase.In regards to challenges, I usually build in an extra 10-15% to deal with things that I can't see behind the walls, including dry rot, electrical or plumbing issues, etc.