That's what STR owners in Arizona thought too.  

I’ve been intrigued to start my journey for a while and have been doing my fair share of research from listening to plenty of podcasts and reading books to really prepare my self and see if this is truly something I want to do.

Just a thought.

You are making almost everyone more complicated and expensive regarding banking and tax preparation. 

Appreciate your thoughts, Dan 

At first I thought to buy it as a primary residence knowing I would rent it out until such time I returned. 

They can sharpen skills you already have, or expose you to things you've never even thought of.

Additionally, the 1031 exchange is worth mentioning though I'm sure you have already thought of that. 

Side thought/question:  how would I actually 'possess' this property for 3 years in order to quiet the title??

I thought about it, and figured that if she moves out who knows what kind of condition the house will be in, I probably will end up putting money into it anyway, so probably will be cheaper for me to lower the rent.