A couple of weeks ago, I came across an awesome off-market deal on a hundred-year-old house a few weeks ago and thought all I had to do was renovate it and I would have myself a nice little home to live in long term.

Your credit will only be hit once if the apps are all within a couple weeks, and this will give you the opportunity to make an apples to apples comparison.

I have a nearly couple dozen in the area and my average rent is almost $900.Be careful who you take advice from

None of the turnkey companies I've talked to offer any type of tenancy guarantee (outside of guaranteeing that they'll re-tenant the unit within a couple of months) -- if you know any that offer guarantees of tenancy that would sound very interesting!

I like the West Mobile area, its class A area, you can definitely find deals there, 3 bedroom with 2 bathroom for around 220k or so, you may have to wait a couple of years for positive cash flow but properties there increasing in values better than others.

I'm seeing 125-150 per unit vs couple years ago you could get them for 80-100 per unit. 

Call a couple local property managers (I’d suggest key property be one of the calls.

If you are limited to those areas for residency, and you choose to keep that job, you are going to have to either a) wait for a couple years and save up a heftier down-payment, b) change your strategy like you said and go for houses further away (do flips, STR or BRRR).Or, if you are sold on the house-hack concept, at some point you might have to look at a different job that allows you to move where house-hacking will work....

Small places are for couples.

We include a couple days of essentials like toilet paper, etc to get them by.