You want to invest just to have a place to live and potentially offsetting your mortgage payment by renting out the vacated rooms or having x amount of cashflow in the future?

30-yr mortgage)Interest rates Higher for Longer?

I carry a mortgage on my other home that is valued at about $480K with a 300K loan @ 2.25%.

You are ignoring appreciation which you may get or not depending on when you sell, plus depreciation write off, and mortgage pay down-your tenant takes care of this.

This sole property pays my primary home mortgage, allowing me to own two homes using other peoples’ money.  

I only buy off-market now.Here are just a few: properties with title issues, court settlement claims, master leasing, lien & mortgage acquisition, seller carry back, options as well as traditional buy & holds, flips.

As a primary residence you can put less money down, leaving more reserves to cover mortgage payments, renovations and to save up for your next down-payment! 

So, the delay is most likely caused by the tenant - either incorrectly entering info or not having proper funds in the account and the systems trying again a day or two later.

I secured a low mortgage interest rate during COVID, and hoping experts in this forum could recommend VA Loan business strategies as I would like to convert our permanent home into rental property and transition into another home.1. 

As as  long as the tentant covers mortgage, I'd pretty much be happy.