He said even driving to pick up the rent check doesn't count (the driving part doesn't count), but picking up the check does (how long does that take?

Picture this, your driving down the road and come to a 4-way stop, what do you do?

I'm in a drive to beach market so I'm on it but I would think college towns, mountains etc. might be similar.

Orlando, Kissimmee, and Lakeland are hot for mid-to-long-term rentals, with Orlando's tourism and Lakeland’s logistics expansion driving demand.

In the meantime I would put the money in a low risk account gaining 4-5% which for $250k would be around $1k/month.Hey Chris - what is driving the sentiment not to buy anything right now?

If you ever want to chat about different strategiesQuote from @Tyler Garza: Quote from @Kimberly White: Hey there, I love seeing this kind of drive.. you’ve already taken the first step by carving out equity in your existing home, so kudos for that.

And then the last hurdle is that driving miles between your home and your rental properties by default is considered to be like your "commute" to work, and your commute doesn't count as business miles. 

I would be self managing the property because I know the area well, have local connections to help out if in a pickle, and could get there in a day drive if need be. 

I'm betting he'd drive to that area.

Columbus is a strong option where you can find properties with favorable rent-to-price ratios for cash flow, while also benefiting from business expansion and population growth that drive long-term appreciation.