If you're going to be active/hands-on, then I recommend doing some scouting trips up to check out properties and learn the area a bit.

You may trade any 2 unused on-line sessions for a “Live” session on the ground, in your area, scout trip or property viewing once every 60 days or any time I am available for an extra small fee.3.

I'm going to keep my options open and scout out some different possibilities.

But, as we know, the best laid plans don't always come to fruition.I've seen here in Seattle that quite a few people are relocating (primarily for tech jobs), and have a decent amount that their companies will pay for their scouting trips to check out the areas, but sometimes it's not enough time before they have to start their job, but they don't want to commit to a particular area and/or buy a house until they arrive and get a lay of the land.

I would like to scout the areas for us, including past history of the apartments.

This is great information on Jacksonville and I just got back from there yesterday on a scouting trip for buy and hold, long term rentals. 

Baltimore absolutely has its issues (I, personally, wouldn't live there due to the schools and crime), but as the saying goes "Live where you want to live, Invest where the numbers make sense".Some things to note as an investor: high property tax rate (but assessments tend to be lower), high reliance on voucher tenants, city government is a PIA to deal with.Get a great Realtor, get a licensed property manager (PMs aren't required to be licensed in MD, FYI) and start scouting neighborhoods.

Scout for deals - Look for Multi's to diversify