Focus on understanding the rental market, conducting thorough property inspections, and leveraging owner-occupied financing options like FHA loans.

Gas or electric would be a much better option, safety wise, from a house fire standpoint, CO danger, or danger to children or pets from the open flames. 

With your income and the option to use an FHA loan, buying a home could be a smart move, especially if you plan to rent it out later.

They won't always be upfront about this with you but if know they're selling because they want to retire, that opens you up to different options vs if they're an investor just selling for profit.

For some of my homeowners - I provide them with several options 1. 

I’ll also connect with locals through BiggerPockets or Facebook groups for first-hand insights.If visiting isn’t an option, lean on a reliable local team (agents, property managers) to help vet the area.

In other words, an IRR calculation.Have you ever considered doing lease options?

I think build to rent is a great option if you can get cheap enough land to make it worth it.

I used to sell Salesforce to REITs across the United States and this is what I've learned:For your needs - a CRM with a power dialer and SMS capabilities - there are a few options you might consider:Podio: This is a popular choice in the real estate community, especially for wholesalers.

But I would remain open to long-term rental as an option as this seems like a more stable option in terms of income, again this may be my inexperience talking.However, I have always  been somewhat risk averse and investing in real estate is always a big venture, in my opinion/experience, in terms of capital.