Welcome Ryan,As a professional athlete you know what hard work is so applying that trait to Real Estate is a good start.

I have been Pre-Qualified with VA Lender and have applied for Pre-Approval, all docs sent in and waiting to hear back any day now.I have to figure out if a specific four-plex I've got my eye on is worth the risk and effort.

The same ideas can be applied to other forms of employment and income documentation.  

However, if I were to leave the home, keep it and rent it out, and move to another home that I bought, I would apply for homestead on the 2nd property.You can also contact your local municipality appraiser office and they can give you more accurate information based on your area.

This only pertains to allowances given as credits for loan purposes, if those credits are allowable and you qualify at the required loan to value then the seller may apply all the credits as agreed, these are to separate matters, what is credited as a down payment for a loan and what is agreed to.This is why most rent to own buyers fail, they assume what the pay is credited to obtain a loan and they are not as contracted, you only find out when the property is appraised so you need to save more in the event your contracted payments are limited to only the excess paid over the fair market rent. 

None of this applies to you.  

Same applies in REI, IMO.I'll go right to step two and say appreciate the power of leverage and protect your credit. 

Did you apply with a local lender?

The tenant applied for social service assistance, utility assistance, etc., and they never missed a rent payment. 

Similarly you will have to apply for owner occupant financing.