I would first confirm that your HOA allows rentals, specifically the terms that they allow, or any other rental restrictions that may need to be followed.

Our long term goal is to become a business and own several rental properties.

I apologize if that is too much or not allowed.

Would you want to do business with any kind of business that us purposefully trying to hide who the owner is?

Possibly incorporate a business.

The loan is the cost of doing business. 

Lenders have expanded their guidelines to allow for up to 85% financing assuming healthy credit and income is producing above what the debt obligation would be for the home. 

A 20% increase in property taxes (or anything higher than 5%) can really screw up your multi-year pro-forma and your projected returns.In Texas, you are allowed to protest the value the appraisal district appraises your property at.

That will usually be ready the next business day.

@Corby Goade he specifically was referring to STVR which allows one with material participation to offset any taxable income not just passive income.