Should I buy a duplex, tri or quad as my first deal doing a live an rent an pocket cash right away or should I seek a partner to do a flip or buy a long term 2 year live in flip an pocket some money after the wait is over with taxes.

I was planning on waiting until the unit was done being rehabbed to "place it into service" and start advertising.

However, I am waiting to invest until I finish paying off my student loans near the end of 2019 since a large portion of my available income is currently going there. 

Otherwise you just have to wait until auction date.

I recently came across a list of leads being offered by a realtor of short sale opportunities where the sellers were being foreclosed on while having tens of thousands of dollars in equity with the home.

However it would be in your best interest to have your closing attorney type it up (chances are they have a template and have done hundreds/thousands) and it will be a lot safer for you.

Am I wise to proceed with cashing out of the Seattle market, using my equity to leverage a bigger investment in Phoenix now, or should I wait a few more years until I am living in the U.S.?

One last point to note, if you wait at least 3-4 years before you sell, then you can literally 'write-off' all of the 5 year property as fully depreciated and you will not pay recapture tax on that amount at all!

I would wait to make the jump into a full-time agent until you've set up systems for success and have a proven track record of sales also, remember its easier to get funding with a solid W-2 than it is with a 1099 in some cases.

I can't wait for you to get started.