I'm not quitting my day job (the earliest would be 8.5 years from now to claim my pension and retirement benefits) but we will look for our 3rd source of income and take the long approach to transitioning out of corporate world.Too me, this is a Marathon, not a SprintGood Luck!

I approached them with specific terms that would benefit them and secure their investment on me (interest, payment due dates etc..). 

@Alexandra Garced I recently just learned, as I was in the process of doing so, refi-ing into a conventional does not open back up your VA Loan benefits. 

Depends on the loan size, but there are numerous portfolio lenders out there that don't require tax returns. 

It’s widely accepted that real estate is America’s best tax shelter, but when you consider its other benefits (income, control over investment, forced appreciation, the ability to leverage, and protection from inflation), it’s easy to understand why real estate is also America’s best investment, and your best path to that most sought-after lifestyle…Freedom.Ian Parrish

Unless it's a niche unit or population you're wanting to rent to, don't furnish it.Awesome to hear you're using your VA benefits to do this!

1) Rich Dad Poor Dad (READ THIS DAMN BOOK)2) I Will Teach You To Be Rich (Hands down 110% the best book EVER, this WILL change your life as I can attest to as I'm implementing the tips in my life now) 3) Set For Life (This is the mindset and goals you must have to achieve Financial Freedom)4) The One Thing (What can YOU do NOW to BENEFIT you later)5) The Four Hour Work Week (No it's not about working 4hrs a week, it's about optimising your time and it works!)

It actually may be to your benefit.

New water heater, new stove, new fridge, numerous repairs, and a water leak emergency that I should have fixed on my own but went with a company who charged me $700 to fix something I could have done myself for basically free.Now, I probably have a bit of a crappy house with all the things that have gone wrong with it, but I also had super conservative estimates behind my CAPEX and maintenance.

While I'm sure this will vary from appraiser to appraiser, I've noticed in my markets that appraisers seem to be more willing to use older comps before they'll extend the radius of their search.I've been in your position before (numerous times) and here's the approach we took (sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't - just depended on that specific appraiser):If you had multiple offers on the property, make sure the appraiser is made aware.