I’m not familiar with those markets, but I would suggest finding some meetups and attending as many as you can.

I would suggest that you find a partner or mento who has done it before.Many of the investors that I work with in your position find that buying New Construction investment property from a builder is a better option. 

I highly suggest as many in-person networking events as possible! 

That said since you want to get a graduate degree for work, I would suggest something business related.

I would look over the property management agreement and see if there's any language that suggests the PM agreed to provide the invoices.

As a person who has lived in NC & SC and Phoenix, I would highly suggest AZ.

Nothing is set in stone yet, so I’m open to suggestions on how to navigate this situation.Thanks in advance, BP community!

As far as calculating cashflow, I would still suggest considering all the PITI and other overhead expenses.

I would love to hear any suggestions about where I should look to live in the area. 

I would suggest partnering with another investor with some deals on their track record and/or some money to contribute to the deal.