Positive cash flow is desired but that is not my primary goal.

We are just getting going..and my only experience is with buying my current and past primary residences! 

Down payment can be higher than primary, but the good thing is that you won't need that much income to qualify because lenders can you 75% of the market rents for the units of the property.

Since I am out of state, the plan is for us to buy it together and he will make it his primary residence to get the lower down payment.

MichelleWhen I bought my first primary we ran into something similar.

These are the primary reasons people invest in real estate.

I agree with @Jonathan Greene here that the first step is thinking through what to do with the primary residence - you might try this tool that I built a few months ago to analyze whether you should keep or sell the primary residence! 

They then did the STR model (with permits) and are able to cashflow a substantial amount.However, this only legally works while it's your primary residence.I've got other friends that used their VA loan to secure the rare plex in Alexandria.

Purchase price: $245,000 Cash invested: $50,000 This was our primary residence that we are lived in for 6 years while we fixing up and renovating. 1963 farmhouse that was outdated and loads of half a$$ work and deferred maintenance.

It will take a long time to get anything close to what you'd save on taxes selling it before your primary residence exemption is up.