Institutional lenders will look at your non/short employement as a negative. 

If you pay more, you won't meet your metrics and will probably have negative cashflow and/or equity.You may have to make 10, 20 or even 100 offers to get one accepted at the price that meets your numbers.This is what all investors did BEFORE the Great Real Estate Crash of 2008-2010.

The key lesson is that if you rent to Section 8 tenants, their negative behaviors may result in non-Section 8 tenants to leave.Rent increases are more likely tied to the minimum wage.

Per CoreLogic, only 1.8% of all mortgaged homes are in a negative equity position, and the average homeowner across the US has $311,000 in equity.If anyone has contradictory data, please share.

What you will have is an RE that is cash flow negative that is unlikely to experience significant appreciation.  

(which I feel like a couple of these other comments talking negatively didn’t at all) If you just show up, they basically hold you by the hand in terms of market selection, deal analysis, financing, design, setup, the listing, pricing strategies, management, etc.

What Are there creative strategies investors are using to offset those negative cash flows? 

But they have NEGATIVE CASHFLOW, until the day you quit investing.

I also read forbearance negatively affects your ability to buy more property.  

That HE loan would make you cash flow negative on the first property, especially considering you are not even factoring in any repairs, maintenance, vacancy or management.