Like the stove above, when we made that decision she defended it with the tenant.

Hi Christopher- congratulations on making a decision on getting started in real estate investing.

The decision isn't so clear cut, however, and strategizing is key in this situation.Another thing that came into play is the possibility to defer payroll taxes for a while, even if you got the PPP.

I am having a hard time finding many resources that describe how to get data to make informed decisions and how to analyze a deal.

I would recommend viewing the landlord resources tab under Tools for the services and forms you mentioned.I would check these out and make a decision on what would best fit your landlording needs!

This is going to be a rental property, so I figured I would reach out on Bigger Pockets for some feedback.Finally, if I am considering accepting Section 8 for the very first time, how does that impact my decision. 

Sure, within the next 12-24 months there may be some great deals coming on the market at owners who purchased a bit too thin on the cashflow find themselves crunched and suddenly motivated to sell, but that's kind of irrelevant when you're looking to buy a primary residence which is a decision most people make more for the emotional/stability reasons than for the cold-hard investor reasons.Main question to ask is can you afford what you want.

A huge factor in your decision should be location, Philly is considered to be very block by block.

Any suggestions are greatly welcomed to help me get some clarity regarding the pros and cons of this decision.

Many of you are basically asking this question, and knowing how to make these 3 calculations helps take the passion out of the decision.