Lots of good secondary / semi-tertiary markets in the state that might have some good starter investments - maybe some low cost BRRRRs?

But if there is ample room in the bedroom and you can take a single sink to double vanity, or add a dedicated water closet, or take a 3x3 shower into a 3x5 or larger, making the bathroom more luxurious, than I could see a good ROI on that.While the area may be very nice, the price point you are talking (and I don't know the specific market) is borderline starter home prices.  

There is going to be no new builds (for single family homes) at the starter home or middle class level. 

These units run roughly 100k and rent for about 250$ per night, just to give a scope for our type of starter investment.Between my wife and I, we have a grand total of 0 years in real estate investment experience, but we really believe in the area and real estate we will be investing in.

Why isnt his mother moving him in with her for starters ? 

For starters, I'd recommend looking in gentrifying, developing neighborhoods.

we bought our starter home and kept it then traded up. 

multiple streams of income and not just one, for starters -- Robert Kiyosaki, Warren Buffet, snoop dog, vanilla ice rapper, Will Smith, Rockefeller family has multi generational wealth that the family will never have to worry about money.

And other than FLA ( starter homes) because appraisals came in low and they were fha buyers we would never retrade..

I built some homes in the Ocala FLA market and to compete there for starter housing ..