If you prefer steady cash flow and lower risk, Ohio is a solid choice.

I think a good starting point would be looking at the comps in your area (recently renovated or new construction homes) that sold around your desired sale price and in your desired timeframe and taking inspiration from there design choices. 

And while you get upset, sometimes you have no choice but to close with bad terms, or forfeit your EMD.

They’re pretty solid markets with good rental demand.As for RentRedi its a great choice for tenant screening.

If I have to buy a last-minute ticket or spend $1,000 or so for notarized signatures at a consulate, then it has a significant effect on my choices.

Popular choices like Fidelity, Schwab, or Vanguard let you invest in a range of stocks, mutual funds, and ETFs.

My first choice would be a duplex but I'm also looking into single family.

It's really your choice if you want to select a home that has already been leased prior to closing or not. 

Hocking, Vinton, and Perry counties would be my first choice when purchasing a property. 

At the beginning, it may be difficult to get a more expensive property that will appreciate well and so your choice is go with the cheaper property and get cash flow until you can sell and upgrade, or wait for a really good deal which you may be waiting for quite a while and its possible that you will have spent so much time waiting that you could have purchased multiple cash flowing properties by the time you get a good appreciation deal that you can qualify for / refinance after the rehab. i know anyone can go out and get seller financing deals, HML, flip to build capital or whatever the case may be I am just saying sometimes those will be harder and could result in less deals overall.