It seems as though it'll be paid off before you know it. 

If I were you I would look into the possibility of starting off with a house hack.

With the caveat that you have to pay off your VA loan (or use less than your total eligibility) to be able to use it again moving into another property. 

If indeed it is stated that the second lien foreclosure is subject to the first, then no, the first will NOT be paid off. 

Welcome to BP, I’m an agent here in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area and I work with a lot of investors on fix-and-flip projects, rental properties, and off-market deals.

I tried to work with my tenant but they cut off all communication with me and wont respond to anyone.

Sometimes you have to rip off the bandage......

Borrowing against your paid off house without an income puts way too much pressure on the success of whatever deal/project you decide to pursue. 

Unless you have a way to source off market deals or have a crew to provide labor for below market value, you're kind of relying on hope and luck to find a deal that works.

Off the bat, I had a few questions that hopefully someone more experienced can help: 1. do auctions allow financing after winning the bid, or do they require entire amount to be immediately wired?