Preferably out of state near Charlotte NC where our daughter lives.  

I try sending a video or doing a live video walk-through with them so they can get a better idea of the layout, condition, neighborhood, etc.2.

Super cool apartment style living, but all one story. 

House care, lawn care, condition of cars, street conditions, absence of pay-day loan shops... basically all the things you look for when determining where to live yourself. 

Unless you want to live in that district, I would avoid any and all purchases in an area like that.

Starting with a small multifamily property is a fantastic idea—it gives you a chance to live in one unit while renting out the others, which can help offset your mortgage and build equity faster.

The landlord should be named on the tenant's insurance policy for additional protection and to assist with tracking compliance.

Every time I call VRBO CS and ask for listing assistance, a booking follows in the next day or two. 

Having a long-term rental while living abroad is do-able.Flipping houses while abroad, in my opinion, more difficult, especially if its your first go around with real estate.I would recommend taking a flight and staying in the area for a week and inspect the neighborhoods and make connections.You can reach out to @Elenis Camargo who has a PM company in Jacksonville.Best of luck though.

After 45 + years as a real estate investor, broker, lender, fund manager and syndicator, I’ve become aware that the “dream” of many investors and investor “hopefuls” is to be able to generate enough cash flow to live off their real estate holdings and accumulate enough wealth to make “work” optional.