Utilize your VA  loan and purchase a multi-family property (preferably a tri/quad plex, anything more than that and you cannot use your VA loan) Live in the property for  at least 1 year (to satisfy VA requirements), while the other tenets pay your mortgage, but SAVE that money you would be paying towards the mortgage.  2.  

I've read in some forum discussions the downfall of multifamily real estate that lacks utility submeters. 

Each unit has its own electric ht/hw, so tenants pay their own utilities.

From this data, you can utilize a website bestplaces.net that will give you a breakdown of the percentage of homes that sold, in various price ranges, for a given zip code.

(If you invest the funds elsewhere, they might be deductible elsewhere but not on schedule E for that property)    My thought was to deposit the funds directly into a segregated account and then use the funds to pay any and every qualifying expense associated with the property until the account is depleted - possibly including loan payments, taxes, insurance, utilities, management.

Also if there are any special amenities not normally covered by an HOA (utils?

Average-Good condition)Rehab = About 20k will meet with GC to get better estimates In to the house = 70k (not sure if this comes after total expenses or not.. sorry)Holding Cost (estimated 4 mo ) = about $4300 plus utilitiesClosing Cost = $2900Now in to the house (After 4 mo) = 77,200 plus utilitiesSelling Costcommission = $6600 (6% of 110k)(Maybe) buyers closing cost = 6,600 (6% of 110k) If I'm not missing anything and my estimates are correct I'm left with 26k minus utilities I hope this is considered conservative.

We have an ALTA survey (for title)- did you all need another survey viz. topo/utility/boundary by architect?

Local Utilities (for more than just utility service)They also trim trees off power lines and check into gas smells.

It's much easier to invest with confidence when you have a support system that you can utilize.