In your shoes, I would refinance the first loan into a conventional loan as soon as you can.

I would really appreciate some helpful and personal advise that you guys did while you were in my shoe.

They have to walk a day in our shoes and the laws would change quickly.With that being said you have to adapt and change as the laws do to be successful and I am confident the successful landlords will find other ways to scrutinize the process and make it harder for folks to be approved. 

If I was in your shoes, I will check the case status with clerk of court. 

Thoughts please  Put yourself in the agent's shoes- The agent makes no $ until you close a deal.  

I feel like this is a topic I could talk about for hours because I have been in your shoes, but the biggest advice I can give you is education, education, education  you can not know too much before you make that first purchase. 

I was in your shoes 6 year ago and was not about to spend that kind of money just because everyone else was.

Even more so if you ever contemplate short-term rentals where property management fees (percentages) are decidedly higher.So if I'm in your shoes I'd lay out what your projections are to get you to $8,000 per month.

No moving, relocating, and buying a house that don't need anything major for ~10 years is great vs coming in below budget and I have to do a roof year after next.In your shoes I would buy the starter home and use the money saved for down payment on an investment property.

I would never look at age as a problem, in fact it is an advantage, because you are starting out young and have time to educate, learn and save.If I were in your shoes, I would do all the reading and education you can.