However there are loans that show income in other ways, so even though you may not qualify for a conventional loan, you can still do Non-QM loans for additional properties.I'm of the mind that it is better to write off everything you can find to limit your taxes, and just do Non-QM loans from there as you will be paying the least amount in taxes and still qualifying for good loans. 

You can't get around the financing contingency and that is usually not THE problem, as long as you are convnetional and not FHA.15k inspection limit does not make much sense, might as well drop your inspection contingency.

For what its worth I think you can limit checking dnc to every so many days. 31 days I think (verify of course)

So you could ask an inspector to go with you but you'll be limited on time."

If so, an option for you would be a limited broker license, which you can use if you're the principal in the transaction, so you couldn't represent others but it sounds like you have no interest in that so no big deal there. 

Certainly, but that 70% is the Fannie/Freddie limit for the exact scenario you described.

As for the properties you see on services, Kai offers an option, but in my market very few rentals are listed on MLS, and therefore would provide limited feedback.  

I'm not a fan of the personal guarantee... isn't limiting personal exposure part of the reason I'm operating an LLC? 

A good agent will not push you to your limit, unless a perfect deal falls into their hands.

We also like the Shenandoah National Park area, but its near the limit of how far we would want to go for our first STR (4.5hr drive).