My BEST advice is that unless someone is going to invest a lot of time in education and money to gain hands on experience, they’re better off investing in passive investments and leaving the “heavy lifting” to the people for whom investing is a full time occupation.    100% agree - and for me full time occupation means actually doing it full time and not running around the country selling some $50,000 program.

Once you do that, then you start to figure out the best path.

Knoxville has had some of the strongest growth in the country and I don't see anything changing for the next 5-10 years. 

You could be below market to the "average" unit in the zip code but if you're in the glide path of the airport with jets are taking off every 5 minutes, the Taco Bell parking lot lights shine right in the windows, freeway exit is two houses away, a busy fire station is nearby with sirens all night long, etc then the price may still be too high.Are there any safety issues that could be helped with lights, cameras, etc?

Quote from @Jose Almonte: The standard around the country is for the tenant to pay utilities. 

However, I have spoken with other investors who also purchased it and are trying to use it in other parts of the country with the same lack of success and issues that I ran into. 

That’s why I’m here, I’m looking for a better way and real estate looks like the path a mechanic can take to no longer being a mechanic.Right now I am figuring out what strategy I want to focus on.

@Brett Synicky is Solera good to work with anywhere in the country?

When approach it as win-win, that you care about them winning, and seeking them to help you to also win, and simply finding a path HOW, that's how results are made potential. 

Other winter weather states I like: Colorado, Utah, Idaho (research this one, many Californians moved there and drove up values, not sure what industries are there to support economic growth).I would be cautious about doing a BRRRR from another country.