3) Buy a few out of state properties directly through an agent and work with a property manager to manage them? 

Meaning they buy the property at once. 

Also make sure you are comfortable with some holding costs if the units don't get rented right away (if vacant).Also look into if there is rent control in the area that the property is located.

Buy and hold rental property.

Also make sure to have owners add you to their property insurance policies, so you have liability protection. 

How to do you first property? 

BP has built a great selection, all of them worth reading and that will help you build foundational knowledge.To answer this one: the words from old school investor Dolf De Roos "seldom sell" and you will find a lot of post on BP from people who regret selling properties in the past.

Hi BiggerPockets Community,I’m exploring the idea of renting my 5-bedroom property in Tampa, Florida, to traveling nurses and could really use your advice! 

@Travis Boyd, 19 of my MTRs are in multifamily properties.

In my market if the property went up by $365K the taxes would have increased by about $8,000.