This community will offer you so much value - don't be afraid to drop your questions here or reach out to any of the folks above directly.

Does any of your competition offer it all? 

The number of DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) loans a lender will offer can vary depending on the lender, your financial situation, and the property cash flow.

Depending on what the potential jobs offer in terms of income, does this seem like a realistic strategy?

The area’s limited number of apartment buildings means that many renters prefer single-family properties, creating steady demand for these homes.Having assisted numerous buyers in Little Rock, I’ve seen firsthand the opportunities this market offers.

It’s growing fast, has good schools, and offers affordable homes compared to Houston.

This is the only thing holding me back from making an offer on this really good deal.

I assumed this would be the case because the rest of what California has to offer kind of sucks.

In my opinion, making an offer site unseen is not a risk.

Quote from @Rick Im: Does anyone know of a lender that offers second mortgages on rental properties?