It is really just an IRA with a different business model that allows for investments outside of wall street.  

If it goes well we may convert a few more to this operating model looking forward but one step at a time.

In that case, it can be a successful investment model as you can develop multiple income streams and build equity while not having to manage tenants and hunt for deals.

This was a late model single-family house in a good quiet neighborhood.

My wife's full-time job is raising our children, but her side hustle is managing the day to day operations of the Airbnb, so we have a unique situation that would allow us replicate this model in the future :). 

When COVID hit and we were not allowed to show property traditionally we changed to an application first model. 

The data is not the problem, the problem is potentially being rejected by underwriting because the predictive FICO model deems you as high risk.

As far as his HUD training course it is something that is extra and not his primary business model.

My model was buy a property, rehab, put tenants in place, cash-out refinance with the lease supporting income for DTI calculation, repeat.

Southern IL has a lot of markets where more traditional housing competes with the affordable model, which is not ideal.Next, anyone looking to help you out here will need a tad more information to assist you in an evaluation.