You can also use some low-down payment mortgage products to continue buying in your back yard while house hacking and renting to others. 

However, given that many sellers have locked in ultra-low mortgage rates from 2020–2021, the existing home supply remains constrained, which will continue to support home prices in certain areas.For investors, rental properties remain a strong option in an inflationary environment.

It is pretty low risk from my viewpoint.Then, after you've sold the first property, you could buy another home that needs to be fixed up, live in it as your primary residence, rehab it, and sell it again after living in it for 2 years as your primary residence out of the last 5 years.

what if appreciation is low for the next 2-5 years?

I too have feelings and thoughts about the programs.After I get past my feelings, I have found that I consistently get paid and vacancy is low. 

In my experience in MO, land bank properties are very low priced (these are generally properties/parcels that weren't sold at the tax auction), but they often have significant tax liens on them that must be cleared in addition to the "sale price" AND they require a significant amount of rehab in order for the properties to be inhabitable. 

If you're going the live in flip route - one great option would be to go with a low money down owner occupied loan to fund your next purchase.

Thankfully we are commercial bank clients so our rates are as low as you can get in the market place for anyone who is not Lennar or DR horton or those types.

April is the only real low month.It's a funky place -- essentially a 5 room motel (originally built 1959) with a manager's unit (built 1984) tacked onto it. 

Low cost, possibly yes, but also possibly very time consuming and that has a cost.