i'd pick a market close by, or that you have a personal connection to, or that you visit often.chasing cash flow by itself can lead to negative outcomes - for example, these investors bought in supposed "cash flow" markets:https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/12/topics/1215726-break...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/963/topics/1195280-expe...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/48/topics/1137397-balti...hope this helps.

This also leads owners to ASSUME simpler is better when it comes to management contracts.

They're building apartments/homes everywhere here in Tampa, which leads me to believe that the market here is going to be over saturated.However, I am no expert so there's a lot I could learn. 

I've done a lot of DTS marketing and found that almost all my leads were either tire kickers or if they actually wanted to sell, the property had so many entanglements (multiple family members involved, tons of debt on it, municipal liens, etc.) it wouldn't even be worth it.

Sellers often favor buyers who can make larger down payments, as it indicates stronger financial backing and reduces the risk of the deal falling through due to financing issues.Additionally, SFH properties are more accessible to a wider range of buyers, including first-time homebuyers and families, which can lead to less direct competition from institutional investors.

I don't know if theirs is too good to be true and actually I think the fact that they have the VA system set up to work on leads for you is a huge plus.

If the proforma has the rent roll at $1400 a month, there is a discrepancy that could lead you into a bad assumption on your business plan.Also one caveat, be aware of physical delineations around the area like bridges or railroad tracks or a canal. 

And definitely follow @Nathan Gesner's lead on that advice! 

This being said, I don't believe we'll be able to meet the income requirements to qualify for a conventional.This leads me to believe hard money or private lender is more the only option to get my foot in the door, use my business to make repairs at very good rates, build some equity then refi once the balloon is due. 

By providing the necessary funding and covering renovation expenses, we ensured the project stayed on track and within budget, leading to a profitable outcome.