Hello fellow landlords,The properties in question are in a market that although it is not cheap, it draws lots of money-cautious tenants. I am foreseeing a bit of a push back or even turned-off potentially decent tena...

You might find a local credit union or community bank that will go to 95 -100%.At one point I called 2 different VA Regional Loan Centers regarding this section in the VA lenders handbook:Assumability - The second mortgage should not restrict theVeteran’s ability to sell the property any more thanthe VA first mortgage.

High rates are here for at least the medium-term (1-2 years), so deals will have to pencil in this current environment.You may also want to consider hard money for your lending, as they can often fund your construction with far fewer restrictions than a HomeStyle loan.

There may be restrictions on when you can exit and how you exit.

No, it is inside of an HOA neighborhood but the current regulations only restrict rentals under 30 days stays.

I prefer graduate students whenever possible because they don't have time for partying, are of legal age anyway, and generally tend to be by themselves or with a partner so it's more like renting to a couple.

In-town properties are significantly easier to permit but also have some density restrictions.

@Jay Hinrichs yes Maui did the same thing after the Lahaina fire, and you're also right that Santa Rosa had no such restrictions. 

These 2 platforms don't focus on MTR but vacation rentals so using Furnished Finder is a better way to get those longer term folks.I have always been a bit concerned about the area's penchant for restrictions.

These are primarily found in cities with a metro population >1M.Pro-business environment: Many cities treat employers as adversaries through restrictive policies.