Yes, DSCR loans are generally available to first-time investors, but rules will vary by lender. 

If there are only 2-3, then investigate and question GC.3) Check with your state's Attorney General's office for any complaints.4) Contact several City Building Depts in the area and ask for list of permits they've pulled.

It's only for the most experienced investors to have any chance.Jonathan is that 10% down at time of sale specific to New Jersey, or generalized for most states?  

Costco and Dollar General, all the way.

Do you recommend using a general contractor, or would it be more cost-effective to handle it myself with subcontractors?

., $250K on a $1M property with a $500K loan) is treated as a loan and generally has no tax implications related to the 1031 exchange.

I have some prior experience house hacking my condo in union city, but outside of that I am generally new to real estate investing.

If positive, it's generally treated like income or offsets the liability for that property to $0; this is highly dependent on the circumstances.

Generally this exception only applies in the higher end home space.  

@Sushil Iyer I agree with @Travis Timmons that Temple and Belton are generally better pics with a more diverse economy versus Killeen.