I mostly want cash flow to supplement income with minimal distraction once the deal is done in order to grow my startup business (not real estate).

Cash flow will be minimal though for SFH and your just banking on building equity over time.

Why would a seller do that since it should be minimal mgmt?

Very minimal rehab and time of ownership, sell as-is with great margins.How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

I would think this would be highly dependent by location (both neighborhood and city), for example, if you are in a city being able to provide off-street parking may provide a huge return if the costs are minimal (thinking just a curb cut to provide access to a yard), on the other hand, having a car (and the parking) in some neighborhoods isn't important to the potential buyers.   

While no one is suggestingthat a buyer will be comfortable buying a home they have only seen during a Zoom visit, theycan minimize the number of homes they physically visit by pre-screening these homes aheadof time through virtual tours.There are a few vital pieces of the transaction that require in-person visits, however.

Unfortunately, that solution takes a highly competent hardwood flooring guy to do well, and there aren't that many of them left in a trade that more and more relies on minimally-skilled subs these days.So the usual solution these days is to chop out the offending section, put in a simple patch of 3/4 inch plywood, and lay carpet/laminate/vinyl flooring over the whole hardwood floor.

There are even DTI overlays right now, so working with a lender with minimal overlays will give you the best chance at making the numbers work. 

I seen some of the benefits of putting less down in a shaky market to minimize any risk of depreciation.

I think your cousin's strategy is very wise to minimize risk and stay invested.