We recently sold a rental in Columbia, SC and did fairly well.

For primary residences, taxes paid equal 4% of the fair market value of the home times the local millage rate plus any other local district taxes assessed, such as for fire or police, but with a school district tax credit.

The Fair Market Rent (FMR) on the HUDuser.org website is the Median Rent for the are based on actual rent surveys. 

Since you're in Florida and the laws are much more fair, I'd be willing to take a chance if his background/credit check came in clean. 

Get the remodel done, pay people fairly, and get out of HM as quickly as possible. 

Does the sponsor have skin in the game?

It’s priced what would seem like very fair relative to comps in that same neighborhood.

My first duplex Brrr gave me and my wife over $300k equity fairly fast while also allowing us to live at very low cost in an extremely desirable area. 

The buyer must have 20% to 30% "skin in the game." 

I hear you on out of state investing, I invest a fair amount in NC where you can still buy houses at 50-60k 2 miles from a Target...lol