And if you later on realize it's too risky for you, then a simpler house hack would probably be better to get you started in REI with less risk than a flip. 

On that $x, you can defer $x of your gain, which would then be deferred from 2024, and taken into income on 12/31/2026.Working with your tax advisor you could toy around with what is the right amount to defer from 2024 until 2026, and just invest that amount.  

It was an interest only loan with 12 months payments and then ballooned.  

However, like John Kent mentioned, if the first VA loan is assumable, and is seen as "paid-off" in the current owners name, then he would be eligible for another loan with 0 down.

If at least 1 is no, then you pry don’t have a leg to stand on, just another failure of the due diligence fee structure.

As long as this 4plex would be in a high-cost area then conventional would still be a possibility for you. 

If not, then likely you will have to pay per trip as the person going will vary greatly depending on the task.

Was purchased as our primary residence, then we moved and have been renting it out.

- Know the property numbers: I would recommend AirDNA (paid version) + enemy method to factor income then back out all expenses properly- Know yourself: Why do you want an STR? 

We actually had some cap ex things come up, but I think if you handle them out of the gate then you don’t need to worry for 15-20 years or more.