Single family, 2-4 unit? 

Secure Smart Financing – Consider FHA, VA, or conventional loans for small multifamily (2-4 units). 

Hey @Guang Yang, no need to use any kind of extra stuff for a single unit like @Patricia Andriolo-Bull said.Just use the built in tools on VRBO and AirBNB and you will do just fine.

Although Baselane doesn't have a formal app I find it very mobile friendly, I use it on both my iPhone and IPadI think Baselane has a slight edge over Stessa so I think I'll start with them and switch to Stessa if it's not working for me. 

If you make the purchase prices much closer, then the waterfront unit should do better.You are going to have to run the numbers.

have a rental (multi family 2-4 units) needing major rehab. interested in learning what work can be learned/performed easily and what needs to be hired out to a contractor. recommendations for learning resources for DIY rehab (good youtube channels, etc) would greatly appreciated!

As for the areas to target, my goal in getting our feet wet as real estate investors--and since we plan to be living in Sac--is to find a property we can live in while renting out one or more units to help cover our housing expenses, which we can then hold and continue to rent out when we move.

This criteria is for 1-4 and 5-8 unit programs.

Quote from @Tristan Kelly: Investment Info:Small multi-family (2-4 units) buy & hold investment.

this works well if the tenant is a national user or multi unit operator who has built these buildings many times.