a lot of people will poo poo this, but I also live in a market where cash flow is low, property taxes are high and properties are expensive (which is a relative term).

You also want to go to real estate investor meetups to get reps with people who do what you want to do.

People coming into town to visit family, reunions, weddings or professionals on contracts.All that to say, don't count yourself out.

They should know more than the people at a big box store and be able to recommend a good one. 

.: Most people suck at painting. 

There was an STR boom when many people bought homes here thinking they could have passive income, but that is not the case here as much as it is in places like Asheville (which is still seasonal, but not as much).

They can also make sure that your case is scheduled promptly because again, they know people and know how to get things done within the judicial system, which can be confusing on a good day. 

What we have learned is that most people avoid these properties entirely, which allows us to purchase them at a significant discount.

Seems like a common scenario for some of the active military we've helped in the Tucson area recently, feel free to reach out if you have any questions!

When you say you want to prioritize cash flow over equity, you want to watch out for people honing in on that and selling you "good cash flow" deals which will be in D neighborhoods and will come with high capital expenditures and harder tenancies.