Our latest tactic was to call code enforcement for the numerous code violations, but that is temporary not a permanent fix either.

The idea at the time was simply to purchase a place after each PCS (i.e, permanent change of station, essentially a forced military move to a new duty station). 

Doesn't making it a capital improvement mean it's permanent and depreciate-able?

We may purchase appliances such as the stove, lawn mower, washer/dryer ...anything not permanently  attached to the house. 

If he thinks so, ask if he might consider a more permanent arrangement (i.e. a job).  

With that being the case, I am considering permanently moving as far away as Denver so that I can be within a couple hours of most of these midwest cities.

In NC, your sales may be considered personal property since a MH, unless explicitly declared and recorded as permanent, are personal property (like an automobile) and financing and sales rules are not like selling a residence.

Marketing to mainly student rentals and hospital employees.Lubbock, where these are, is a college town, with 40K students and 250K permanent residents.

Cash Pros: no mortgage, ability to take it all out in refinance, can leverage (finance) House 2 b/c House 1 is all cashCash cons: the cash is temporarily (or permanently) gone, not leveraging the most out of your dollar, if the property doesn't refinance where you think it should - you can't get all your cash backLoan Pro: potential to maximize your leveraging ability, tax incentives, experience in going through the loan processLoan Cons: holding costs/mortgage payment, acquire debt, interest rates rising make it tough to refinance (for the time being)-----Depending on the amount of capital you have, I might recommend the BRRRR strategy.

This lender is not HML, they're a direct lender offering short term interest only with an option to convert to permanent financing, there is no minimum FICO, they rely on simple documents relying on no income verification.