Given you and your investor both have experience in different areas, I’d say keep a flexible approach and compare city requirements before putting too much money down.

The program is neither good nor bad, there's just different pros & cons compared to cash paying tenants.Have offered to schedule a call with you numerous times to try and assist you, but you seem to prefer posting & posting & posting - which will take so much longer:(What are the chances you'll actually invest someday, given how long it's taking you to do basic research?

I've painted more walls, ceilings and trim work than I could ever count in my lifetime and *I* suck compared to professional painters, and most of my paint jobs could pass for lower-end professional jobs. 

As you begin your REI journey here is one tip I have for you:Use this website as you are trying to narrow down the places you want to invest in. https://www.areavibes.com/Its awesome because it gives you a "total livability score" & you can compare different zip codes & streets to others. 

there are ways to get around the highest and you also need to take into account the savings you will generally have on the purchase side when compared to other regions. 

The population is officially growing again, and there’s been a lot of investment in infrastructure and development in recent years, which makes it unique compared to some other Midwest markets.One thing to keep in mind, though, is that Detroit is very much a block-by-block city.

That's easy compared to trying to fight and erroneous $13k water bill (a real issue we had) or an insurance policy tripling (that too).

Run your own airbnb comps and see how your rates, pics, and amenities, compare to them.

P&L, Bank Statement, DSCR etcVery common for investors to make the switch when they need to or when the cons are no longer greater than the pros compared to conventional loans.  

Durham tends to offer slightly better cash flow opportunities compared to Raleigh, especially if you’re targeting neighborhoods that are up-and-coming but still affordable.