i'm happy to help in any way I can if you need any lender, broker, contractor references etc etc 

I dislike they refer to it as Airbnb calculator.  

Scammers do exist, and it’s smart to verify a lender’s legitimacy before moving forward.Check Reviews and References: Look for reviews on trusted platforms like BiggerPockets or Google.

In the pitch I include just a couple of my projects from the last year as a reference to my experience. 

So, I reached out to a local brokerage, and they referred me to an agent with significant experience.This man has built a $30 million portfolio himself, and in just a couple of meetings, he completely shifted my perspective.

You definitely want to use a thorough screening method like rentprep.com that gets their income, credit, background check, and call at least 3 references (make sure to verify them by address/job and then their name).  

The tax benefits refer to the tax deductions from mortgage interest and property tax.The returns mainly rely on appreciation, and the cash flow only improves in the last few years, also depending on securing the 5% refinance rate.I've learned a lot from this forum, but as I start to operate on my own, I'm still not completely confident.

There a number of good references on this site.

Thank you.While I am lending exact direction, you will need to dig a bit more on the statutes, to gain full comprehension of the statutes in reference your question.     

Many DSCR programs require an investor to have a mortgage history- there are some DSCR mortgage programs that will work with investors who are renting- some refer to them as first time home buyers (FTHBs)- DSCR loans are only for investment properties where the owner isn't living there.