We're seriously considering Pittsburgh as the destination spot (multitude of factors), but I'm liking the numbers from an investment standpoint. 

I purchased a quad with old boilers and the main factor with me was using the existing system and not having space for ducts.

Buying the land right (at a good price) will determine the end result of cash flow (if building the home to keep) especially as you factor in Holding costs and Builder fees. 

For comparison, I just completed two new build duplexes in a flood sone in central Houston using a builder for these and my Hard + Soft costs were $149/ft. the only additional cost to factor in was the land.

That $15.6K/year in profit from the new property adds up, especially when you factor in potential appreciation over time.As far as the Roth 401(k) goes, the growth potential is nice, but it’s not going to generate the same kind of passive income you’re going to see with real estate.

As Hai mentioned in BC there are a couple of extra things to factor in if your parents sell it to you-the capital gains, foreign buyer's tax AND the property transfer tax all apply in BC and the middle one is not cheap (an extra 15%). 

Not to mention sky-high drama factor.

But there are a few factors to keep in mind:1.

The key is making sure you have the right team in place—outside of market research, finding a trustworthy property management company is one of the most important factors in making long-distance investing successful.

Personal use - if you or your family used the property for personal purposes, you will need this to factored in.