It may vary from others' advice, and it will be up to you to determine what feels best for your needs.In your position, it is super smart to rent first. 

That is a safe harbor from the IRS with a couple of caveats. 

Never fully trust anyone that isn't willing to share the negative aspects of all this.As I'm sure you've experienced, this can be a very rewarding path to take and depending on your grit and determination, overcoming all the pitfalls are well worth the effort.Cheers and drive safe!

How do I begin to determine that?

Proximity to Nashville is key—properties within 5-15 minutes of the city tend to attract more guests, but a nicer home 20-30 minutes away could provide more value in the long run.Make sure to research short-term rental rates in both areas to determine which offers the best return.

From there determining what you have budgeted for your first project.

I encourage you to interview property managers to determine what their approach looks like when managing properties for an investor who does not reside in the market where the property is located. 

Since these accounts are in the business name, they don’t affect DTI, making it easier to secure additional funding.How fast you're looking to scale will determine the best approach—some investors go the business credit card stacking route for quick access to $150K+, while others secure business lines of credit for more flexibility.

Our IR team is vertically integrated in-house and not outsourced.

I would try to subscribe to Angies List to determine a suitable mortgage company.