As a fellow West Aussie who's now living in the US, I can tell you this forum and most of the training/courses you'll see online regarding multifamily investment isn't relevant/applicable in Australia.

I'm not bullish where I live, Portland, OR (high prop taxes, tougher landlord laws, affordability, etc.). 

You will likely have negative initial cash flow reducing this return, but typically the negative cash flow is short lived. 

You should vet the company to ensure they have the resources to pay the rent.You ALWAYS do background checks on the people living in your property because if you let in an axe murderer and they harm someone, you are likely to get sued.Whether or not you charge an application fee is up to you.  

We would be incurring the tenants in one half and would live in the other half ourselves.

While we currently live in Stephens City, VA, we’re open to investing in other states where the numbers make sense.Real Estate Goals & StrategyInvestment Focus: Buy-and-hold rentals, short-term rentals, and potential multifamily propertiesMarkets of Interest: Open to investing outside of Virginia in cash-flowing, landlord-friendly marketsCurrent Stage: Learning, networking, and preparing for our first investment propertyLong-Term Vision: Build a diversified rental portfolio that provides financial freedom and generational wealthWhy I’m HereNetworking: Connecting with experienced investors, agents, lenders, and property managersLearning: Gaining insights from those who’ve built successful portfoliosCollaborating: Open to partnerships, joint ventures, and creative financing strategiesWith my sales background, I understand the importance of negotiation, deal-making, and relationship-building—all of which I plan to leverage in real estate.

My plan is to live there for a year then move out and rent the 4th one.  

With the prevalence of remote work policies, many people opted to leave affordable apartments living near work in and around metros to live an hour or two outside of their work location to get much more space for their money.

I am new to real estate investing and got into it because of the book The House Hacking Strategy.I live in San Diego; the rent is just crazy.

., so do you mean living in one state while a local PM manages a STR for you in the other state?