Maintenance/cap ex, insurance, if a rental PM, bookkeeping, misc.The fact you have a loan means 1) leverage 2) equity pay down.In addition, there are tax benefits.So I will do some rough underwriting as an OO non-rental at 95% LTV (because FHA has some undesired consequences that make the 1.5% difference in LTV worth avoiding the FHA).equity paydown: 20% (using OP interest rate at 95% LTV and not counting closing costs). 

You can hear real-world examples of how others have built their investment portfolio and (hopefully) learn to avoid their mistakes.4.

Sell and use the $250,000 per spouse gain avoidance. 5 year window.2.  

My market of central OH has some isolated areas that are like this, and in those areas, its generally accepted as "the way it is" but those areas are also very desirable and "hip" so there is a give and take persey.

Self-managing from out of state has been doable, but the challenges have added up, and I’ve realized I’ve missed things that could have been avoided with closer oversight.If you’re just starting and don’t already have a strong local network, I’d advise against self-management from out of state.

VA you can avoid the PMI which is good but putting down money will help you keep your payments lower.   

I'm currently in single family homes and apartment buildings in central and west Texas but have been evaluating a few residential assisted living homes + business / license to purchase in Austin and San Antonio.

•Are there any specific neighborhoods or zip codes to target or avoid?

I read about a 1091 exchange and if i reinvest my money into another property within 6 months then ill avoid paying the taxes on it. is this a good plan, if not do you have any other suggestions.  

Usually, a single-member LLC to avoid filing separate tax returns.