After that is returned, I do a background check through Transunion or a similar service. 

Hi @Augusta OwensFirst off thank you for your service! 

In a situation where you were doing an arbitrage (renting it from the owner, then yourself re-renting it to someone else) your costs to renovate/fix it up while you're using it would be able to be capitalized and depreciated by you once your rental was in service (available for rent to others). 

If you are trying to come up with a way to finagle the occupancy requirements while using an amazing loan (that you earned based on your service) like a VA, I would say you are starting off on the wrong foot.

@Augusta Owens first, thank you for your service!

The ways around that are to build a business around supporting their voucher and inspection program and spending no small amount of effort ensuring they are smoothly servicing your rentals. 

A debt service loan is popular for that step.

There may be requirements to cover the trash service depending on the town.My first commercial loan was 30% down, 20 year term (adjusting after the first 5 years). 

Do you provide move in and move out reports How many pictures do you take of the property prior to tenant moves in and after the tenant moves outDo you get weekly reports when the property is vacant what prospective tenants are saying about your homeDo you provide monthly newsletters to your tenantsDo you hold investor education classes to help me become a better investorDo you have single point portfolio based management services?

But around here some of the screening services that claim to do background checks do a lousy job of it.