Its hard to trust agents, contractors, management companies, etc in our own backyards, let alone out of state. 

Please be skeptical before spending your hard earned money on programs and ask for a many references.  

Two doors doesn't provide any sort of scale to make the cash flow more predictable. i would think hard if this is really worth your time, money, and effort...please explain the quote about two doors? 

Cashflow is hard here but with STR and creativity it's possible, and the appreciation makes it worth it in my opinion.

That's a hard pass for me.

Because those simply demand a significant level of labor inputs that makes it very hard to effect the efficiency model we invented. 

DSCR/hard money are non owner occupy loans.If you decide to do FHA203K for the first home - a 203K consultant/inspector will be required for the standard 203k loan, you will unlikely be able to serve as GC and you sign a 1 year occupany affidavit.

Is it hard to pull that type of cash out of a property?

It's been hard to find good property managers—I think that's true anywhere.

@Robert Gorra - I've had a similar experience where I've had a really hard time with getting GC's to even give me an estimate, and the few that have have been way overpriced (ie, they want me to put in $20k of cabinets in a budget flip) or have had their prices go up by about 40% and still not give me a firm price when I try to nail down the scope of work.