That will largely help to determine the right fit in the landlord market for someone with a portfolio. 

Our clients have used 1031 exchanges very effectively when they have a property that turns out to not be the right fit for them.

You can find something in Durham and parts of Raleigh, specifically zips 27610, 27603, and parts of 27604 that would meet your criteria, however generally speaking most of the inventory that would fit what you are looking for in Raleigh or Durham would likely be in neighborhoods that I personally wouldn't want to invest in, C- to D type neighborhoods.

Quote from @Kyle Carter: What are some questions that you can ask to each of the required team members(PM, Agent, etc. ) to ensure that goals align and they are best fit.  

.✅ Do your research to learn what is realistic.Spend time really considering what type of business is going to be the best fit for you based on your experience and how you want to spend your time once you are the owner.

So, in your considerations, I would park right there for a bit and determine how this would look for you.Since you have about 2.5 years to think about it before you would need to spring into action to take advantage of the rollover for tax advantages, maybe you try on a rental and see how it fits. 

It sounds like you may be a better fit for a smaller operation that still offers guided tours.

My family actually have some properties in FL, and I have also researched this area quite a bit and I saw it might fit my strategies. 

I’m happy to connect and also let you know about deals that come across my desk that might fit your criteria.

If it does not fit, you must aqui....