@Claire Hudgens  This is another example of why I hate HOAs.Here is how this should work...1)  The HOA should decide how often the property will need to be painted.2)  The HOA should figure how much it will cost.3)  The price should be divided by how many assessments will happen between paintings.That is basically the amount they should be charging ever assessment for painting.If they cannot do that I would suggest one of two options. 

For instance, examples on how you financed your first apartment building would be great!

So if, for example, a duplex is 150k where you live you could buy with the VA loan, owner occupy for a year, then move out and owner occupy another that you also purchase with a VA loan.

For example, in the case where an investor is buying an unoccupied property to rehab it and then reposition it, then that property would have a zero NOI. 

For example my quad I acquired was in Phoenix.

For example: If I found an apartment building that had a landlord that was burnt out but still around the age where they could still use some cash flow I would offer an opportunity where I could go to a bank and ask them to finance 70% instead of the normal 80% which is better for your LTV come time to underwrite the loan and then would ask the seller to carry back the other 30% and instead of paying a bank all 80% of the home and me having to come in with 20% cash I would come into the deal with absolutely nothing down while I finance the property through the bank and the seller.

Does anyone have some example forms or documents I might want to use for this process if it works out?

For example: If the house is $1,000,000 they would offer me $800,000 as part of the official closing price and pay me 200K cash. 

They will give you one check right away for the actual cash value, which is what they determine to be the costs of repairs, less the depreciation.Here's an example for a roof, like the claims I've dealt with.  

One thing that really says that you're doing well is when people make a verb out of your company's name, Google being the most obvious example, Hoover, etc. :)