I do all my own "routine" day to day entries but I have an accountant that does more complex and one off stuff like when I buy new properties, or end of year type of work.Besides that the accounting happens mostly behind the scenes.

Put your claim in right away, as there's a strict time frame for doing so.

Small or large - hard money will have a first on your property and a strict deadline.  

I'm not sure if the credit requirements are less strict.

I myself instead of contributing to the "rent" want to instead put money strictly into the principal to get it down as much as I can as fast as I can.

Perhaps by laying out a few "facts" - that you know she is working illegally and won't hesitate to report her if she continues her advances; that your dad has a green card and therefore can't help her enter the US directly; that he has had some issue with mental illness and that their are strict laws in the US that you'll use to go after her if she takes advantage of his emotional state, perhaps even implying jail.

They may be more strict, or not allow certain things that the VA allows.

Again this would strictly be used to manage my own properties, which will eventually be in their own LLC.

A strict tenant screening process is also key in the pro-tenant state of Massachusetts. 

My plan was to buy some properties that are strictly cash flow and the other with less cash flow but a better upside potential for appreciation.