Some lenders follow a traditional method, and could lock in your rate on a long term loan, however there are many that will honor terms based on the actual factual data gathered. 

And are there certain methods that seem less effective or outdated today? 

So I can't speak to that method exactly.

I've been drawn to the 4-Plex method where you use your VA home-loan to purchase a 4-plex then rent out 3 of the units. 

BUT WAIT, there's more:  Then when I hit submit, I got a message "your payment method has been removed successfully. 

Fun fact, the 10yr Treasury yield rises (and 30-yr mortgages follow, remember) on the day the Fed trimmed rates in about a third of the prior 50+ central bank rate cuts since 1990 (Mishkin).

Now the $10k payment is being returned.I also considered these methods:- Wire transfer – don’t want to share my bank info.- Venmo / Zelle / PayPal – personal accounts aren’t really for recurring rent and I’ve heard it can raise issues, while business accounts have high fees.- Cashier’s check – possibly good for the initial $10k chunk, but not ideal for recurring monthly payments.Questions:- What options do I have to collect these payments now?

She understands creative financing and and can figure out ways to get deals done using methods most agents done even know exist. 

What methods do they use to screen tenants?

Their method of “forced appreciation” is kind of interesting.