Usually the discrepancy lays in poor assumptions:1.

@Kendric BufordRecommend 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?

Quote from @Michael Baum: Hey @Joel Oh, so I got what you were saying in your first post, I just don't agree.You are making a ton of assumptions based on anecdotal evidence.

@Josue RamosRecommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.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.So, when investing in areas they don’t really know, investors should research the different property Class submarkets.

My assumption is that it still will be better to purchase in my name (better loan terms, ability to put 20% or less down, and I'm already pre-approved) and move to an LLC, but this seems like a steep cost of doing business.

My basic assumption is I would be trading a certain level of cash flow for increased appreciation over a period of 10 years.

It recently dawned on me the idea of a non military affiliated individual assuming a VA loan, would this individual be able to then also gain the benefit of using an IRRRL since they have now acquired a VA loan through assumption?

It's one thing to say that "a typical tenant would likely stay for X years" and another to say that "on average, across our properties and thousands of leases, we see that tenants stay X years" -- the first one is a bit of an assumption and the second one is a stated fact. 

Given your stated position of things, assumptions of skills and network, I'd say your best path is a totally different one. 

@Denise Lang some copy & paste thoughts:TYPES OF RENTAL INVESTMENTSRecommend 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?