If an emergency happens, why not look into getting a line of credit set up now, so you have access to that money? 

Look into a hard money loan so you can get the rehab budget covered, and make sure the rehab budget is non-dutch so you do not pay interest on the rehab budget until you begin to make reimbursement draws.

We talked to some people (banker, pm, etc) about a weekly rental property but seems it would make more sense if you wanted to use the place yourself and not too concerned with making money.

I’d look at it another way figure out where you want to live and than figure out if house hacking is a way to afford that area and if you have a long term plan to afford that place with at most one roommate, you will find it hard to break even much less make money house hacking anywhere in the region so may as well buy in a place you want to be long term, if your not ready to commit at least medium term, rent.

Pros to this are I could sell with more money in my pocket than I could listing it, cons are that I lose my VA entitlement for 2 years, which to me isn't a huge deal, as I don't have enough entitlement left to buy house at my next duty station anyway.Thanks, and Happy Memorial Day!

Last thing you want to do is get too deep somewhere with your time and money only to realize the STR laws are not friendly.

I take some money off the rent.

I turned this into a LTR just because we moved 2.5 years after buying it and I wanted to rent it to not lose money on the move.

Assemble as much money as is reasonable, be prepared and enjoy the ride.

It helps them make more money