Working in South Carolina will allow me to have a "safer" job that will keep me less actively working while on shift.

That's not bad at all, considering 2 day shift and 2 night shift guys would probably stay there. 

The local market has shifted and your price reflects that.

., however, i have shifted my mindset and would like to not just buy a liability (the first home) but would like to create an asset via house hacking.

Child care: does your base do 24/7 shifts?

This is a big shift in thinking for those of us who cut our investment teeth house hacking. 

When economy goes down the tenants tend to move to cheaper warehouse space at less rent per sq ft or back into their home office to try and save costs. 80% of small business especially office work on small profit margins so any major shift they feel it more.Apartments in certain classes people think they are darlings and can't do any wrong.

Getting away from the metro areas means that the prices don't swing so much and you have a better chance of a good deal when the market shifts down.

You have a ton of options, but I think the most important is realizing that you should shift that equity to start working for you whether it be through sale, refi, HELOC or other creative strategies.

I look at it this way and train beginners to shift their mindset to this.