I am also a husband and father of two living in the St.

The problem is, tenants who live in rent controlled units rarely want to leave.

Quote from @Dereck Olson: Hi Nicholas,  Just a thought from the possible tenant's perspective, but filling out a prequalification form and/or providing personal information before they have even seen a place and know if they will be interested in living in the property might be a bit too much to ask. 

Here’s some context: Property 1: >$100k in EquityValue: $325kDebt: $220k @ 2.88% (30-year fixed)Property 2: >$70k in EquityValue: $325kDebt: $252k @ 3.38% (30-year fixed)Extra considerations: - I have $15-20k liquid to use for any of these deals- My current job is relatively stable, but not high-payin- Current properties in TX, living in NY, looking to invest in Mid-West (crazy, I know)- No other debt obligations besides the two mortgagesUltimate goal/timeline: Though a bit ambitious, I’d love to build up the portfolio to 10-20 units in the next two yearsI understand that any/all replies aren't financial advice; all ideas welcome for information purposes. 

(But not for a “I’m going to live in it 50 weeks out of the year and rent it out two weeks”, IMHO, if that was your idea.  

It's clear they are not willing to even talk about it and we would have to make a big issue of it - threaten to pull out of the lease or bring in lawyers, and that doesn't seem to make a lot of sense because it will just make our lives hell and cause our business to suffer.

She's from CT, but lives in CR for most of the year, so I assume she'll know some local folks.

If you're just starting out, house hacking a duplex or SFH with an ADU can be a great way to reduce living expenses while building equity. 

Given your mobility for duty posts you can really ramp up your real estate portfolio while serving.Every time they got stationed somewhere they would purchase a property to live in using their VA and house hack.

In hot markets, some wholesalers and investors use 80-85% of ARV (minus repairs) instead of the typical 70% to stay competitive.A few tips:1.