If I were to purchase an Airstream to use as lodging while I travel across the US to my rental properties, make repairs, and perform lease turnovers, would I be able to not only deduct fuel and campground costs but also depreciate the purchase price across 5 years? 

So - somewhere 2 hours away, or somewhere you like to vacation in, or where all your family lives, or where you plan to move someday.Too many people are trying to do exactly what you're doing - pick a market based on a formula - and they end up buying a random 'cheap' property thousands of miles away, turn it over to people they've never met or even spoken to, and then... lose money.  

We network with other fix & flippers teaching them how to properly structure a seller financed note so that it has value on the secondary market, we then buy a partial from them to take out most, if not all, of their cost basis so they can recapitalize and go do another deal. 

Quote from @Quan Pham: I'll give you the easy answer: sell.If you were fired up about owning an investment, I would recommend keeping the house as a rental.

Evaluate Property ConditionOlder Chicago buildings often have charm—but may come with hidden costs.

One of the first deals I had (multi in an up and coming area) my buyer was paying cash and the deal was solid.  

How much did the rehab cost and how long did it take to complete?

I would set up calls and then sit in and listen, every day, typically a few times a day for around 6 months.

You can start to educate yourself on the individual components; how much does it cost to paint on a per sqft basis or what is an average kitchen remodel.  

It also saves you some costs, which is helpful when you’re just starting.