I live in the greater Washington DC area.

I informed them that their contract states they are expected to pay up until the end of the agreement regardless of living their or not. 

I'd recommend house-hacking a duplex or triplex if possible to help limit your living expenses.

I live near Nice France half the year.

I've personally done just about every rehab scenario, properties I've lived in, properties bought as investments and even properties bought at auction.You've gotten good advice from folks on this list.

House Hacking using the VA loan to live on one side while renting the other is great.2.

Smaller SFH = less maintenance , there are lots of single looking for a place to live .

I live and invest in Milwaukee since 2007, so probably a little bias here, but we are set up very well for future growth. 

They had a search set-up for multi-family and for any single family homes with 4+ bedrooms to see if there were any possibilities of creating a separate living space.

I was forced to buy my first house because my roommate moved out and I couldn't afford to live alone.