There's a lot more compliance, regulations, and other protections that many brokers do not feel comfortable hiring just anyone. 

You're going to do very well at your entry point Don.I'll add this while I'm here, @Zach Lemaster has gone out of his way to make my wife and I feel very comfortable with our decision.

<<< Of course that is what I am trying to tell you but don't confuse 'advantage' with 'different' -- if your goal to is maximize your return than you should be more hands on; if your goal is more to save time and hassle then let someone else do it all for you; in the end you get what you put in. 

They are too close for comfortable game play.

This is what I have done on all my other rentals, but am trying to maximize my cash to buy multiple properties. 

I would have them stay there and critique the feel and comfort etc of the place.

It really comes down to what is your comfort level with debt?

A primary residence will most often provide more favorable loan terms so if you are willing to wait one year while you living in your new property and are comfortable with renting out your primary residence to a tenant, then getting something such as an FHA loan is a good strategy to minimize your upfront costs and hopefully get better loan terms.

My focus is on identifying value-add opportunities and managing properties to maximize cash flow and ROI.I’m here to connect with like-minded investors, share insights, and learn from others in this amazing community.

It really depends on the investor, their comfort level and goals.