The walls are up, and it’s time to bring this house to life with the fun stuff—floors, cabinets, and all the little details that turn a house into a home.

No state income tax, one of the lower property tax rates in the USA, more landlord friendly than California.My proposed strategy is to buy a home to rent in NV (Reno or Las Vegas) then move into the home in the future and semi-retire.

Unlikely to find a GC though.

Have you narrowed down a locations yet?

(Even went beyond the second page of Google.)I have an investor who wants to partner on a deal by providing a loan for the down payment.

Just a thought.

I never saw RE as a passive activity, knowing that my criteria necessitated active involvement. 

A lot of great advice so far.Will add that it often depends on the property.Is it something that will make a stable rental or will it be difficult to consistently find tenants?

You can absolutely assume a VA loan as an investor.

Since you’re new, here’s a good starting point:1.Start with Education – Read books like The Book on Rental Property Investing by Brandon Turner or Fix and Flip by Mark Ferguson.