1)  My quotes for a new asphalt shingle roof range from $4,500 to $5,500.  

I am not sure what price range you are looking for, but neighborhoods like Nicholtown and Morning Side are good options.

With an FHA loan you will need a minimum 3.5% down and closing costs typically fall within the 3-5% range. 

With a $150k FMV, you're starting to get into the range where SFRs are hard to make work.

If where I live had cheap houses in the 50k range then it would be a no brainer for me, but I live in CA where scaling wide to start is impossible because properties are so expense (1-2% rule aint happening here) so I have to make some hard decisions about what my goals are for getting started.I wish there were some general guidelines that work for all newcomers, such as invest local with a single family home and learn about fixing it up and being a property manager (conservative approach), which seems to be the only choice for some people.

Anything in the 1.4%+ range are total crap and I don't want them.The advantages with apartments are you concentrate capital, you can increase value by boosting rents and decreasing expenses, and if you get above a certain price point you can get non-recourse financing. 

However, with the house being 3 BR, it would be outside of her price range.

Plus not having to manage the onsite build will be a huge savings.Is there a somewhat comprehensive list of modular home builders?

My estimates on income for the last house I analyzed ranged from $13k - $40k per year.

Buy a rental property upstate since there’s nothing in my price range If i go any lower in my desired Long Island areas?