Also any tips for automating this as much as possible and how to protect the property financially and property management would be appreciated.I ALMOST understand the rental arbitrage strategy if building a company scaling with say 30 + units and looking for high short term cash flow.  

Type of construction materials for the build(block/metal frame/wood frame), separate utilities, finishes, tech, cleaning crews, any tips and tricks would be HUGE! 

If there are any community members that are local to Westchester County or the surrounding area and have time to meet up and share experiences and tips, or even have projects themselves that I could provide some help within exchange for the guidance please let me know!

I'll provide some tips below.2.

I would love to have some clarity and steering in the right direction as to the best source for FHA loan information and caveats, as well as any tips for a 22-year-old single investor planning on house hacking for my first real estate investment.

That’s all very helpful and thank you for the tips. 

However, I don’t yet have the funds for a down payment on another house, and I’m trying to figure out the best option for where to live while I rent the apartment.Do you have any recommendations for managing this transition or tips on finding a temporary place to stay?

Welcome to the community and be ready for a huge amount of information at your finger tips.

My number 1 tip would be to go off market and find owner that wants to sell at a discount / prefers speed and convenience. 

At tip to help achieve this: You will at somepoint, if you haven't already, be directed to propstream or propwire or the like to find motivated sellers.