There are several unique strategies  to get in with no or low money down.

Credit unions are not in the mortgage business - so on unique situations including househacks you may be more likely to come across issues during the process.Either way, once you have a property under contract, speaking with various lenders will give you the best idea. 

Homes don’t appreciate as quickly, but the military presence here is huge and creates rather unique opportunities.

I guess the fear of buying the wrong property is holding me back .. as I'm sure is a recurring theme with most new investors.

My approach is somewhat unique since I'm a builder; I build my units from the ground up and then decide whether to use them for LTRs, STRs, or sell them outright.

We currently have 3 unique structures and are building more on our 11 acres of land.

Theme park hotels and places like Great Wolf Lodge who have rooms like that charge big bucks for them.We could possibly add an ADU, but as LTR only.

There is a theme of a lack of due diligence, reserve capital, budgeting in general, tenant screening, location, inspections, leverage, property managers and just a variety of general amateur mistakes/learnings...

It's far from unique to the scenario I've described.

Anyways, that's my situation - its unique at least among people I socialize/work with (middle class/upper middle class Americans or well-off immigrants)