Current ownership was not local, and didn't have a presence anymore.

I know building a reliable local network will be key, so I'm hoping to connect with experienced real estate team in the area.The military presence in Jacksonville catches my eye, and I'm particularly interested in properties that might appeal to military personnel and the associated contractors.

Yes, if you lived local and did it, then you wouldn't have to pay for it since you do not charge for your time.  

I hit up a local wine distributor and pickup wine boxes (wooden ones) they give away to anyone who wants them.

Networking with other local investors or joining a real estate meetup can also help you find great lenders, property managers, and contractors.

Sounds like the house is not local to you, OP.

Hey John, welcome to Sac BP -- I'm a local broker and property manager, we manage 100+ Airbnb listings and generally recommend investing in Multifamily as opposed to Single-Family.

I often times bounce questions like this off my local RE attorney first and then move forward quickly.  

If you end up having a vacancy with no cash flow, it hurts much more than when you are able to offset with cashflow from your other properties.I would recommend seeing if you are able to diversify a bit with some local or out of state properties that do cashflow some, even after Property Management, that way you could start to support these homes.

You might check with a local attorney on this.In NY where I am, the period is 10 years.