After that I would read every single book on fixing up properties that you can find, and how to find off market properties and then start implementing those strategies.  

Here’s a breakdown of some top areas:Cash Flow-Friendly NeighborhoodsWest Charlotte: Known for affordability and strong rental yields, West Charlotte offers opportunities in single-family and small multi-family properties.Gastonia: Just outside of Charlotte, Gastonia is a great spot for investors seeking cash flow.

Focus on smaller single-family homes, condos with low HOA fees, or multi-family properties in these regions, and build a reliable local team of agents, property managers, and other professionals to ensure a smooth investing experience.

But if you are operating a single unit, realistically how long can you wait for that tenant to be caught up?

Unfortunately, it cannot be used for a 2-4 family property, only single family properties. 

I currently work with investors looking to build their portfolio with single-family, long-term rentals while managing for them on the back end, making is hands-free for the investor to still work their W-2 job and live their everyday lives and spend it with family, hobbies, etc. 

For starters, I recommend to begin with a single family home or if you are looking to start locally, do house hacking. 

I personally like Alabama and Tennessee a lot, depending on what specific area you're looking at.Look for Class B or C properties in stable rental markets, particularly single-family homes or duplexes.

Probably not a lot of advantage to small MF vs single family so I would stay open to both. 

However, not one general location is going to help you determine whether it's a good market for multi family or single family etc.The one true way to start looking into a market is talking to an agent who knows the area.