Quote from @Isaac Terry: I was looking at homes in Akron & Clevand, they are affordable but since I'm out of state I'm not sure about pulling the trigger on investing. 

Home values are much more affordable and the local economy is trending upward.

If they or we have those,  we can do and achieve about anything.Most people could afford this easily by trimming their budgets. 

For your scenario, you would be able to afford $8300 monthly mortgage assuming no debts. ($200K/12 months = $16k/ month of 50% = $8333.

There's a post right above mine from a lender... there's always a lender offering $$$ even when people can't afford it. 

But if you can’t afford that you don’t get to take advantage of the tax code complexity.

If its a Class C I'd go for a more affordable unit, there's no point in putting in more money than you have to. 

And I will stay in my condo until I can afford to buy a bigger place.However, with high interest rates, I’m reconsidering.

With affordable property prices and a growing rental market, it can be a great option for long-term cash flow.If maximizing short-term rental income is your priority, a home closer to Nashville could be worth the extra cost.

I'm eager to learn about how to find and fund properties that help my family financially and my community with affordable/reasonable dwellings for young families and newlyweds.