Regarding a "good deal", I think in its most basic or general form you'd find a property that you can buy under market value and invest sweat equity/contract improvements/money to bring value to the home, creating a place that could sell or be refinanced at whatever the local ARV would be and you profit.  

Prior OwnerFirst, don't sweat what the prior owner did too much. 

I don't think you need to sweat the "save up your money for a down payment" idea if you're going to use the VA loan.

I am fully aware that many agents, investors, brokers start from $0 and can sweat equity their way to the top.

Maybe if it was enough to fund an all cash deal I would have felt better.It will take a bit longer to find a FHA or conventional deal that will 1/qualify and 2/have some room for sweat equity.

No, I should have added that we went into the deal with 20%  down, no FHA,  have added a ton of "sweat equity", and raised rents to market rates, raising the monthly income by 55% from time of purchase.

Sweat equity and converting space into a bedroomPainted/minor remodel primarily with my wife and I by ourselves.

Your sweat equity won't be in vain, instead , it will push you to learn different skills when deal with different type of tenants and properties.

I always have several years to buy back into my Roth IRA via the CARES act so I'm really not sweating it.

I’m sweating as to what and how I’m going to file at the end of the year.