Or should I invest regardless of student loans if my hope is to use FHA loan for smaller downpayment and then eventually rent the house out in a few years once I move?

To set the stage, I'm owner of a short-term rental property in the Poconos in PA and we use a property management company for bookings, maintenance/cleaning, guest management, etc.This past weekend we had a guest booking but when the guests arrived Friday evening the house had no running water, though it had been running fine earlier in the day when the Property manager (PM) was at the house to give a final check and leave the welcome packet.

I am a CT based investor, flipper and property management company owner.  

Office space is gutsy at this time with many companies working remotely, maybe part of your investment was to bet that people will be coming back to work in person.  

Quote from @Andrea Lucarelli: I’m interested in beginning my REI career with purchasing a SFH or condo in Cleveland area (safe neighborhood) to list as a furnished rental for travel medical professionals, supply corporate housing needs, or house temporarily displaced families for insurance companies.  

The substitute of collateral was more of a scenario where you sold for $155K, and instead of paying off the $88K loan in your scenario, those funds stayed at the title company and were used on a cash purchase happening nearby in date. 

@Cameron Marro - I would work to get her out, move in to the bad unit and rent out the good unit. 

I think too many people move on to property number two and three before property number one is really in good shape and later they regret it.

When we moved, we turned it into a rental, hoping this would be the start of our real estate journey—something we’d like to continue once my husband retires.Some key details:My husband is active duty and will retire in 3 years.We have one final move coming up this summer to Raleigh, NC.Our current debts are crippling us—the high interest makes it tough to stay afloat every month.The plan me and my husband are thinking bout:Sell the rental property.Use the proceeds to pay off all our debts, set aside emergency funds and a down payment for our next home.Free up $1,500/month from debt payments, and that also can stash in a high-yield savings account.Regain full VA loan entitlement, allowing us to purchase a multifamily home and use the house hacking strategy for up coming move.Avoid capital gains tax, since April marks five years of ownership, and the tenant’s lease ends in May.This wasn’t our original plan, and we hate the idea of using our equity to pay off debt.

You just want to make sure your paperwork is solid. we went with a company that specializes in writing them called creative tc. https://creativetc.io/