The biggest factor is thoroughly review their credit score report especially on time payment record and score.

Do you have enough equity to do a cash out refi and use that cash to put a down payment on another property?

Still no payment.

Work on getting a down payment saved up while managing your townhomes.

I would just take into account that a lower down payment will mean a higher monthly payment so be sure to run the numbers conservatively in order to ensure your STR revenue is able to carry your monthly payment with this higher mortgage cost. 

This allows me to seed the property for 6-12month, then refi, and pay the full amount of the HELCO back in one payment. 

You have to make payments on the borrowed funds, which is then deducted from the money you are making on the investment.

We have numerous who have their payments set up to auto-pay.

For example, my average terms are 90%-100% LTV and 10% interest flat no points or pre-payment penalty.

* When do you make owner payments?