Right now I am just looking at my options, nowhere specific too specific.

There is 3-5% down payment options you can use.

For funding, explore options like FHA loans, personal savings, or creative financing, and focus on New Jersey markets that align with your goals, such as Newark for rentals or commuter towns for house hacking.

They have lots of options for you, depending on your budget.

For some of my homeowners - I provide them with several options 1. 

The first option will give you continuous headaches with a certain likelihood that the behavior may get worse (not paying at all and more damage).

If you can buy with 20 percent an hour away, as you said, that seems like the best option if the finances and numbers work for you.

Gas or electric would be a much better option, safety wise, from a house fire standpoint, CO danger, or danger to children or pets from the open flames. 

Meanwhile, explore options with other STR PMs. 

Unless maybe you have an option on the purchase of the real estate or something.