I have the VA home loan benefit right now and I am not sure if putting money down on the VA home loan would a smart move.

Single-family homes offer reliable rental demand, lower turnover rates, and the ability to benefit from property appreciation over time.

People with cushy government paychecks and benefits and job security.I agree with you that state and Federal losses are not necessarily tied.

We are on year 5 of this journey and finally "feeling" the benefit from monthly cashflow.  

Is it thoughtful and timely market info or just them propping up overplayed markets in some way to their own benefit?

Assess if you have enough time for tasks like tenant screening and maintenance.Expertise: Professional managers know landlord-tenant laws and property maintenance best practices.Cost vs. benefit: Weigh management fees against potential savings and efficiencies professionals might offer.Property location: Distance from your home to the property matters.Number of units: More properties increase management complexity.Stress tolerance: Consider your comfort level with tenant interactions and problem-solving.Long-term goals: Professional management can free you to focus on expanding your real estate portfolio.

It will familiarize you with the basic terminology and benefits.

2) If I plan on using a PM for my properties, would landlord friendly companies like Stessa benefit me?

Sure it has potential for cash flow, appreciation including forced appreciation, tax benefits, mortgage pay down but in most markets it is the leverage that accounts for the significant return.  

Then a person can say since LLC lent or transferred money to LLC 2, then both are, in effect, liable for a particular action from the primary LLC since the secondary LLC benefited from it.