Do not rely on it for legal advice.

@Steven Rago legally, whoever shows the property has to be a licensed agent.You can try to play games with that and have a handman allow "access", but it's a BIG risk.So that leaves agents & PMCs.You have two choices with agents:1) Pay per showing: since any agent can show a property, find the cheapest.2) Pay Listing Fee: typically 1 month of rent to put in MLS and place a lockbox so any/all agents can show.We do NOT recommend allowing agents to screen applicants - it's a conflict of interest!

If you are going to go heavy into real estate investing, there are many ways to defer taxes, so losing the personal residence deduction may not be an issue.

Wetlands, flood plains, steep slopes, and other issues are all present in the Poconos. 

i have great cleaners, no issues with reviews for the year.

You can find the best cash flow in areas that are hard to be a landlord and on homes that have deferred maintenance and tenant issues so that should not be your main focus.

However, the issue I have is that I only have 1 year of solid income from the business, the year prior to that is inadequate, and I know most mortgage companies require 2 years of income to qualify.

I’m active duty Air Force and ran into the same issue at my last base.

I have cash on hand and no issues paying 25% down. 

FHA is tough on a few things like "Chipped paint" any signs of chipped paint will stop financing and need to be addressed (Painted), Loose or missing hand railings, Water damage, Mold, Termites, Outdated electrical or any wiring that is exposed.FHA will also stop you dead in your tracks if the appraisal shows anything that is considered a "hazard or safety issue" and must be fixed.