You are in a great place for REI, both physically and virtually!

I live in a very rural area north of Asheville, NC which does not have much going on as far as real estate movement so I’m looking at other areas.Asheville is hot right now and has set record sales/prices for 2015.This has put the little inventory that is available out of my price range.Asheville would be my long term goal.According to Zillow (which I’m not sure how accurate it is) market health index for Asheville is 9.4/10.Other areas I’m considering are Greenville, SC (market health index 7.8/10 ) and Johnson City, TN (index of 5.9/10), both with more inventory in my price range.Asheville is 35 minutes from my house, Greenville 2 hours, and Johnson City 1 hour.I have made contact with a realtor in the Greenville area and that area really looks like it has potential.I am a Nurse and my wife is a Physical Therapist so we have W2 income and would not need to live off flipping.I also have 3 days off a week to manage rehabs, plus downtime at work for research/studying markets.

Ok, I know, I'm absolutely remiss for waiting 5 years to physically check on my rental property.

This will include, online and physical media.

What are some ways to overcome the disabilities that come with investing at a distance, such as not being physically present to inspect properties, or even close the deals with sellers? 

I'm not sure what the backyard cleanup will involve but I am guessing a thorough liming of the soil following the physical removal of the dog poop.A problem I have with 'dog/pet people' is that they 'do not get' the problem.  

You'll see if the carpet needs replacing or the refrigerators are from 1956.Another focus is items that have nothing to do with the physical condition of the house.

I’m assuming they won’t do physical checks.

Whether you do it via 1031 or direct cash injection, keep in mind you must own physical assets, not just stocks, to be considered an active investor, and be able to reap all the tax, and government benefits of an oil & gas producer.If you have any questions on oil and gas or how a 1031 works in this scenario, leave a comment and I will reply.

Had to chase the definition to understand this one:http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/contractfordifferences.as:- DEFINITION of 'Contract For Differences - CFD'An arrangement made in a futures contract whereby differences in settlement are made through cash payments, rather than the delivery of physical goods or securities.