With proper tenant screening and systems in place you can absolutely be a successful landlord.

Quote from @Torrean Edwards: Early in my investing career, I had some success, but then the crash happened.

I am not a realtor, so I cannot give advice as though I am one, but there are some guidelines that I have used personally over the years, with great success.

If you've got to ask a question on an online forum about managing an out of state or out of country renovation, you aren't ready to do this on your own.

@Kegan SchollI am partial to Florida given I live here but I have house hacked for the past 6 years and it fundamentally changed my life, you are on a great path for success.

If you decide to revisit STRs, you might want to explore properties where you can project expenses independently, such as using local STR forums or online tools to estimate maintenance, management, and occupancy costs.For networking and strategy-building, you might find local meetups or groups beneficial.

Does anyone have an online link where we could all do this?  

Borrowing against your paid off house without an income puts way too much pressure on the success of whatever deal/project you decide to pursue. 

Stay educated on Florida market trends and BRRRR success stories.Good luck!

What's the highest success percentage method to find a previous tenant's new address for this?