Cash: Cash may seem great, it's real and doesn't bounce, however, it usually means you have to meet your renter in person to collect which can be a pain and it's hard to keep track of.

@Taylor Matthews - I feel your pain.  

He says that dealing with the bank is usually a pain. 

I didn't pursue it because:1) Compliance was a pain in the *** and limited what you could do.2) I don't like the traditional models of planners - you're either a salesperson making a commission or you're charging fees for AUM.

I understand your pain.

It's a lot of fun and a lot of money once you get over the initial learning curve that yields a lot of mistakes and pain.

@Raymond Macasaet, banks are a pain.

Honestly having purchased 3 other homes, (townhouse using a VA like loan but through a military bank, a condo using a VA loan, a streamlined Refi on the same condo, and a seller financed home) using a VA backed loan to purchase a multi really isn't any more painful than a single family (except the inspection and appraisal may cost a bit more).  

im trying my best to avoid these HOA. i have heard they are a pain to deal with you because of the rules and fees. my question is how can i find out what properties they cover?

I had a very painful experience with a local township inspector asking me to fix issues for crawl space as-is plumbing in a 1950's house adding $2-5k in cost to a thin deal.