On the other hand, non-local lenders may offer more competitive terms or flexibility since they're not tied to specific regional trends.

And especially with flipping, where time is money, the idea of holding a house longer just to hit a stronger time of year is probably a losing proposition.  

I always recommend self-management, provided you have TIE. 

Few property owners would be willing to (1) “tie up” a property for 10 years where they couldn’t sell it and (2) give up 10 years of price appreciation for $5,000.  

One thing you might want to focus on now is getting pre-approved for financing if you haven’t yet—it can give you a stronger position when making offers.

This is an on going topic, as a private landlord I would avoid if possible, If the owners of a building apply for funding for rehab the loans may be tied to lower interest rates if they rent to section 8 renters for a given number of years.

I'd also add think about what "keeping it in the family" means to you and will your inheritors really care about your emotional ties?  

We obviously don't want that risk on your plate.No Personal Income Requirement: These loans don’t rely on your personal debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, which is ideal if you want to avoid tying up your personal credit or finances.

The Waco market has stronger than anticipated numbers.

We, like many investors would just like the financial burden to be somewhat lifted off our shoulders and to not feel so tied down to our jobs but have the option to come and go as we please or are needed and to spend more time traveling with our family!