If you need the cash flow to live on and it will improve your lifestyle, then go for it.

Having a property management company seems to be a good option for me since I am living out of state.

P.S; We live in Wilmington NC so both markets would be "long distance" P.S.P.S there are no reasonably priced multi family properties local to us.

It depends how long you plan on living.

Since STR “lives” on reviews, being “right” because of the contract the guests signed might be the most expensive “right” you’ve ever experienced.So what’s left for the “wanna be” STR investor in today’s market?  

In the last 2 months I was receiving a lot of deals in my email account and I received a "great deal" from a small wholesaler; 2 hours later the same property address showed up in an email from one of the "big wholesale companies" 10k dollars more expensive... the property was gone even before I could call the small wholesaler.I believe both are useful and all of us need to make a living, so I understand their role in this business.

In this case, you can use Rental Income from the units that you will not be living in and that income can count to help you qualify.FHA rates are going to be lower than conventional for you almost always, but FHA does have a 1.75% funding fee. 

I know in Philadelphia if I had a 2 BR house it would be viewed favorably by tenants who are seeking 2 BR living situations because most inventory will be apartment style living and for this reason would achieve a rent premium.

I also suspect inflation will drive continued migration to lower cost of living / lower tax states.  

You may also want to consider buying this as a primary and living in it for a year.