I will admit when I had my first investment property at 24 that I did not realize all the legal aspects of RE and all the laws concerning what you can and what you cannot do.  

Some lenders offer flexible terms tailored to investors, which can be a game-changer.

It seems like landscaping/exterior is a large aspect of this property, so in that case I would put a good chunk of my efforts there

Also just so you know, they are not Hard Money Lender's they are your joint venture partner in every aspect of the deal.

Velocity of money, or speed in which you can complete a BRRRR investment and repeat, is key to success, and refinancing with the shortest seasoning requirements is highly important.Loan terms and interest: Cash flow is also an important consideration for a refinanced rental property, so attaining a low interest rate, as well as other aspects of loan structure (term, amortization, or interest only, etc.), plays a big role.Generally, there are three main refinance options for BRRRR method investors: Conventional loansBank/credit union loansDSCR loansConventional loans are generally defined as loans originated under GSE (Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac) rules and guidelines and securitized.

I will hire out to another expert to handle other aspects of our finances to make sure those are on the right track.

They both have their good and bad aspects… but rentals are far easier day in and day out.  

Additionally, I personally like the Northeast market, much less competition since people interpret the tenant friendly aspect as more challenging, but with that comes less competition.

Depending on the size we may partner with 1-2 people so that’s another aspect I am looking into as well.  

They saw I was in Texas, saw I had in my claim history hail claims, and they "tailored" the policies offering such a way they made sure the policy was unusable for anything else other than a total loss.