So I just wanted to present the raw facts, hear everyone's opinions, and obviously gain some knowledge and tips from investors! 

Any tips on finding reliable professionals in my area?

Those are good resources, but what you will find is that most of the closing is learned in the field by connecting with people.A couple of tips:1.

However, I don’t yet have the funds for a down payment on another house, and I’m trying to figure out the best option for where to live while I rent the apartment.Do you have any recommendations for managing this transition or tips on finding a temporary place to stay?

Now IF you have all those bases covered, my tips are: Take GREAT pictures and for the love of all that is holly please no close ups, wide angel pics.

Any tips?

Also any tips for automating this as much as possible and how to protect the property financially and property management would be appreciated.I ALMOST understand the rental arbitrage strategy if building a company scaling with say 30 + units and looking for high short term cash flow.  

I’d greatly appreciate any advice, tips, or insights you could share—especially if you’ve done something similar.

Just a tip - make sure you don't just look at the current property taxes. 

Welcome to the community and be ready for a huge amount of information at your finger tips.