He initially said that because they were husband's wife he did not have to fill out an application and then I told him that all rental agencies in our town make them do it he grudgingly did it, but he's not said anything about his employment history and he has no current income

I would use HML / PML for the initial purchase and rehab, then try to refinance into a conventional mortgage or DSCR.  

Please share any great data sources you have found or tips on evaluating areas.My 1-year goal is to purchase 3 multi-family properties, with 8 to 40 units, at least $5000/month of initial cash flow, and some opportunities to improve operations and increase cash flow.I am hoping to forge alliances with like-minded investors to fund Win-Win deals.I am so excited that I have officially started my RE Investing journey!

What pertinent questions should I pose to property owners when initiating contact?

I initially bought it in 2016 and converted the carport into a one bedroom studio where I lived for a couple years Airbnbing the main house.

I am more than happy to help someone out that takes the time to initially be resourceful and learn as much as they can first and then go out and ask questions. 

During my initial call, their rep said they do up to 95% LTV. 

Just some initial thoughts and hopefully you can get through this!

That was my initial thought.

Hey Jackie, Condos may be a better fit considering your initial investment goals and future plans for building a long-term rental portfolio.