Getting excited is but natural.

I also own a business that nets $500k+ annually, and the nature of the business has little to no opportunity for deprecation and amortization so I'm stroking a $250k+ check to the IRS every year.

Once I've got all of that cleaned up, I'll be able to see what I can scrape together for skin in the game and look for a brrrr buy and hold.

So property management, dealing with rents in some capacity, being a floor manager in college, showing an lease on a room you rent out in your current home...anything along those lines to show you have experience of SOME nature will be required when purchasing a multi-unit property with a VA loan. 

Whether I purchase it cash or with conventional financing, the banks only want to lend/refinance up to a specific LTV (usually 70-75%) on the purchase price EVEN if I buy the property at a significant discount (e.g. 50% of its current market value).In the past I've always struggled with this same issue, and thus eventually I end up tying all my capital in properties and I'm unable to purchase more (even hard money lenders want you to put some skin in the game).

One of the charms of living in a small town is being near nature and having a close knit community.

They want to ensure you have serious skin in the game, which will help them sleep comfortably, knowing you most likely wont walk away.Maybe to get started, you might consider becoming a wholesaler.  

Hi Stephen-Scenario I find two properties that show promise find an instituation willing to let me borrow for both properties, so the only skin I have in the game would be the percenatage down for both investments and use the banks money for everything else?

http://bocarealestateclub.com/ Andrew, ...I have "no skin in the game" with B.R.I.C, ...but if I was new to South Florida, ...B.R.I.C. would be a very smart place to learn about the South Florida real estate investment market.And too meet some very nice-helpful folks too! 

Then put my skin in the game by finding the property.