Many of them will jump into property management, thinking they can retain clients and earn some easy money by collecting rent checks.

My goal is to purchase a small multi-family property with an FHA loan that I can self-manage while retaining my day job as a software engineer.I have been causally reading books, listening to podcasts, and self-educating on personal finance and different asset classes for the last 2 years before finally deciding on real estate; but I still feel like I do not know enough to go at it alone.

As Brandon Turner, one of the BP OG's advises, evaluate at least 10 properties per week to see if they are worth investing in/flipping/whatever your focus is because this builds your "investor muscles" so you will know a good deal when it comes up.

Recommendations include moving the patio away from the house and adding a retaining wall.Other considerations:I already have a team in place locally to manage the property and handle repairsI visit the area biannuallyThere’s another couple interested in the property and supposedly making an offer.I haven’t secured preapproval for a loan yetMy credit union only services Oregon/Washington, so I can’t use them for a loanI’m unsure about the process of buying an investment property from out of state, as a first time home buyer, especially since I don’t plan to live in the property myselfWhat I’d like to know:Does this seem like a solid investment opportunity?

Since the $100.00 a day began I have repaired more wood,sprinkler system, built a 3'x120' block retaining wall,replaced wood on a deck, plumbing.Just all kinds of tasks.

Wife is the brains, I'm just the muscle..and not a lot of that, lol.

You can choose to retain their services, or not. 

But I would not waste the money on that unless you need to retain them for an eviction.  

That would be Sheffield, Tuscumbia and Muscle Shoals.

This website would have appropriate links to information on all devices.Security - External camera(s), especially at the entrance, that records and retains video (cloud) for an extended period.