Is this conversation a red flag that this broker may not be suitable for me to work with or is it just a product of the stricter lending environment today and brokers are just trying to avoid wasting their time?

Understand the fundamentals of real estate, market trends, and the specific criteria that make a property suitable for the BRRRR strategy.

If my goal is to continue investing in real estate and consider refinancing when mortgage rates become lower, would Option 3 be the most suitable choice for my circumstances?

I will probably go about finding a suitable house/duplex to house hack and buy it as my primary residence to get started.

They are have a wealth of issues (untreated mental illness/substance abuse etc) that would need to be addressed before suitable housing could be found.

LTR falls under landlord/tenant law in FL and all I am aware of there is if there is no AC or Heat availability at certain thresholds then the landlord needs to abate rent or provide alternative suitable housing. 

By law, you need to make a "good faith" effort to re-rent if the Tenant is not successful finding a suitable replacement.

Try to aim at around 20-30% and if you don't have the capital available( remember, it's not just for down payment but money as cash reserves, closing costs, etc), then you should either look at a smaller deal that will be more suitable or you should partner/invest with someone else. 

Inventory is super low and finding a suitable property will likely be your biggest challenge.

Choosing the Right Investments: With numerous investment strategies, property types, and investment options available, newcomers may find it challenging to identify the most suitable ones for their financial goals.