If I were in your shoes I would figure out how much the down payments will be on 4 properties, refinance for half of that amount and then take out a Home Equity Line of Credit for the other half. 

Wanted to use the VA loan to house hack, live in half and rent out the other half.

I am looking to do some minor renovations to this property including turning a half bath into a full bath.

I ran some calculations and we could get by for the next few years with my husband reducing his income down to $50k a year (about half what he's making now).

I collect about a half month deposit and have them sign the lease.

My plan is to cut that in half so that I can qualify for traditional loan as I continue studying real estate and bring in private lenders.

.- You might have to pay for a new appraisal- If your new mortgage rate is only half a percentage point lower than the old one, it might take 7-10 years to recoup the costs of refinancing.- if you’re refinancing into an FHA loan, for example, you’ll need to pay an upfront fee for mortgage insurance.This calculator might be a helpful tool.https://www.mortgageloan.com/calculator/refinance-breakeven-calculator

Seems optimistic but even half that would be an improvement.   

In less than half the time it would have taken me, the RE was complete and on the market (purchased by flippers, I would have looked to keep it as a buy n hold) and looked great. 

You can listing to a mind-blowing chapter of it on the Podcast episode 353 and a half (titled: Bonus Audiobook Excerpt: The House Hacking Strategy)If you'll use this upcoming move and planned purchase of a home to purchase a home that works as an investment, you'll have one of the most efficient and easiest on-ramps to investing that I could wish on you!