Also, no "company towns" like Flint, Michigan or Gary, Indiana where a single employer can pull up shop and the town no longer has an economic driver.

I manage large commercial and industrial properties now for my employer, I am a facilities manager for a large utility company in my area.  

I'm keeping a couple free checking business accounts; I'm a self employed web developer so that has its account and then the property investing, the other account.Yeah, fees suck and I had a great blowup with my local bank where they charged me 28 bucks because they couldn't get their deposit dates straight.

Source: WikipediaIncome persistence: You need a rental income that will last throughout your lifetime, which requires your tenants to remain employed at similar wages.

In general, when you are self-employed (not a w2 enployee) and actively work in your business, you report the income and deduct allowed expenses on Schedule C.

For reference, I am self-employed (I run my own online clothing business, i am 1099-k) and I've always been told that it'll be hard for me to get a conventional mortgage when you're self employed, so I am specifically asking about other types of loan options.  

The employment GAP isn't always an issue as long as you're now a W2 employee, can show 30 days of pay stubs (not self employed), and you can provide a letter of explanation stating the cause of the employment gap.For a VA loan, in order to use the rental income from the other units you'll need:1.

Did you perform an actual employment verification?

Stronger economies generally support higher rental demand and property appreciation.Neighborhood Analysis:Safety and Crime Rates: Avoid neighborhoods with high crime rates, as these can affect property values and rental income.Property Demand: Look for areas with growing populations or proximity to employment centers to ensure consistent rental demand.Property Condition: For fix and flips or BRRR, assess the condition of properties carefully.

We live in a bit of an expensive market with great growth, Navy, Shipyard, Medical, and easy commuting to a major city with a dozen or more major employers.