Whether a flat fee or percentage, a PMC has an obligation to fill the unit with a qualified tenant. 

I have not thought of using DTI instead of 3x the monthly rental amount in order to qualify an applicants income, but you made a great point regarding the priority that tenants might give a car payment.

Would I still be able to qualify for this?

One thing to be careful with though is that if you go the personal loan route, you need to ensure your DTI is still fine and you will still qualify for your VA loan assumption AND the second mortgage.

The rules are more complicated than your one sentence, and even Tom did not have the time to explain all of them on his podcast. 500 hours is one way to qualify for material  participation, and there are other ways.

If you don’t have a large down payment saved up, don’t worry—there are plenty of options available . . .”A trusted lender will go over the various loan types with you, any down payment requirements on those, and down payment assistance programs you may qualify for.

You don't want them to just be financially qualified but you failed to investigate how they treated their past two apartments. 

BTW, it is illegal for a seller to receive any proceeds from the short sale,  however,  they may be qualified for relocation $$$ or other reimbursable expenses.   

Lenders will want to know if the property is generating income and if it qualifies for a DSCR loan or traditional financing.

Purchasing subject to allows you to (1) buy a property and pay a lower rate (3-4%) that was in existence when the loan was originated, so cash flow will be better as well as equity buildup; (2) not have to qualify for the mortgage saving time, expense, and allowing property purchases in greater number than otherwise and (3) no personal liability on downside (4) no debt added to your PFS.