@Bruce LynnAs I am currently in the market, I have some target areas that I am interested in per the data, however for the purposes of this post, I’m more interested in finding a solid property manager who knows the area even better than I do, and figuring out where they like to manage properties.

As of now I know it’s incredibly hard to get financing for purchases other than your main home and I’ve heard you can only utilize 30% of rental income after you’ve had it for 2 years for loan purposes..

I didn't feel comfortable lying about the purpose of the home since I have no intention of staying there and purely plan to use it for investment. 

The purpose of the second bullet point you referenced is to clarify it's the number of properties and not number of mortgages against the properties (i.e.

Neighborhood Scout seems extremely promising but wildly expensive for my purposes. 

No double if you know how to promote the place on social media nowadays, you're likely to run it well.

If you're looking to buy real estate for investment purposes, there are pros and cons to consider when it comes to buying and flipping a duplex versus a single-family home.

The purpose of renovation is typically higher rents so if she can't afford the higher rents she certainly doesn't get a renovation. 

Which brings up another point I've been wondering about- with a 2nd home loan, does it have to be in my name as a "personal vacation home" or can it still be under an LLC/Land Trust for protection purposes? 

I kept the momentum going by having a "WHY" purpose and defined criteria, in addition to confidence in my strategy.