One of them replied that she is currently not renting or owning a house, she is moving because she just accepted a job nearby and she can’t provide rental references because she had lived overseas for 10 years and just moved back last year.

If the nearby lots are also R2, you'll likely have a similar size duplex. 

Having the 5200 payoff nearby by dumping it on the note is tempting, but keeping the savings is probably the smarter option.

It had been on the MLS for months because it was "a project" and most of the other nearby properties are turnkey.

With few rentals nearby I would be concerned about demand in the market and ability to find well qualified tenants.

I would also focus on cities that are nearby as there is no substitute for seeing a place with your own eyes.

Not too much, was nearby looking at a large apartment complex a few years ago but that's all I know in that area.

You want to find comps as similar and as nearby as possible.

Are there jobs nearby?

I have gotten in a car and traveled a few hours for boot camps in near by cities.