Things to consider: 1) You'll probably be approved for much more than you can actually afford.2) The VA loan has a hefty funding fee and is 0 money down. 

Yves,When you buy an investment property you do not have to live in that area just show you can afford the mortgage. 

Looking 30+ years into the future, those reasons (location relative to me, within budget, can cut costs by living in the unit while renovating, amenities) all seem very relevant to me so I disagree there.. but to answer your other questions, I could afford to place up to 50% of the cost of a property as a down payment if needed.. but ideally I'd be able to borrow more / place a lower down payment.

Househacking makes it affordable to buy in a very expensive market.

I did not take advantage of or lie to any seller/owner as the owner was always a bank (institution) and the reason they owned it in the first place was out of greed giving a loan to someone who likely could not have afforded it under normal lending criteria today.In all cases in which I purchased from a wholesaler or was presented a deal from a wholesaler, never did I ever get an accurate rehab number (I would consider anything in the ballpark of 10% as accurate), I never got a true exit value (I was always given a pipe dream or best case scenario on the value), the comps used - 80% of the time, there were comps that were not actually comps (comparing a 1500 sf 3+2 with a 2500sf 4+3 as an example, or a comp in a completely higher end neighborhood even though it was within a 1/2 mile). 

After talking to a client after multiple follow ups she finally began opening up to me and said she wouldn’t mind selling it to me, only issue is there is a lis penden that was filled from 2018 and the original lady she said she was going to sell it to(also the tenant)couldn’t afford the property anymore, after her husband of the time passing and still can’t.

I see Greensboro and Winston Salem are more affordable, any other suggestions?

I'm in the Lansing area and the prices out here are MUCH more affordable than Grand Rapids, if you're looking to start smaller with your first couple investments. 

its a great rental market and very affordable city to invest in.

The only ones that we can afford are either in Abbotsford, Langley, Maple Ridge, Chilliwack.