Ideally a 2-3 bedroom house near access to public transportation / infrastructure have been the easiest to rent.

I love this site, this is god gift to novice investors like me.

With a househack if you can rent to friends that is always going to be easiest. 

easiest way?

Although youare in a secure location, RV’s and trailers are the easiest storageto break into or take without notice.

This would certainly be the easiest arrangement but I was kinda hoping to remove this home from the equation.

If his income qualifies (including income from non occupied units in a house hack) you can use gift funds for down payment, you can help pay the loan, but you can’t go on the loan to help qualify.

The easiest thing to do is to come up with a reason to NOT do something and somebody will ALWAYS have something negative to say.

I know the easiest way to get into real estate is house hacking, but that just isn't an option for me.

Or even better, find out who's running it and buy them lunch or send them a gift card or something and ask for a 45 minute call if they aren't nearby.