If you can liquidate some other properties for a cash offer or at least present that option, you'll definitely be in a stronger position.I house hack myself - it's about the short term pain for the long term gain!

As for Airbnb, we've tried collecting there as well and after submitting pictures, receipts, explanations, 500 word essay and more, we painfully collected.

It sounds like your advice is pretty much in line with what is going through my mind, so that's a sigh of relief.

The permitting process is a pain, and it's unlikely you'll be able to get a non-owner occupied permit unless you're in the correct zoning, but at this point owner-occupied short term rental permits are still being issued. 2) Have you looked into towns just outside of Nashville? 

VA loans are great but if you do not have a disability the funding fee can be a pain as it is financed into the loan in order to get that 100% financing.

Understand that good contractors view newbie investors as a pain in the ***.

I've been lucky with good tenants, no evictions, no major damages (dog smell and fleas in carpet though was a pain).

@Mark McCollum I feel your pain. 

The GC we are thinking of going through has done a few properties in 2020 with CC permitting and he mentioned it's not too painful just takes time.

@Brandon Pain Farrukah is right a HML is totally a fine way to go in this situation.