With the way Pensacola is laid out you can look in almost the entire area if you don't mind commuting up to 30 minutes. 

If you're looking at this from a distance, connecting with a local property manager could give you a clearer picture of what to expect in terms of tenant demand and property management challenges.Let me know if you need any more info or want to chat further about this.I hope that helps

Properties do not need to be in walking distance of the university to still be in high demand for college students. 

I have a couple of co-workers that live in Tracy and Manteca that do the 50+ mile commute.

So is a 20% capital call going to get the job done, and provide enough money to go the distance?

I am curious to know if the proximity to Pennsylvania itself is a crucial factor in renting out the property, or if it would be equally viable to invest in an area further away from the city (with a 1-hour commute time, as opposed to a 30-minute train ride from Haverford).I would greatly appreciate if anyone could provide information on the actual rental prices for an average 3-bedroom house in these areas.

I did a local renovation where I was onsite at least once a week and I went over budget by more than $50,000 but because California properties appreciate or at least hold their value.If you can find a way to invest in the LA area or within driving distance you have a lot more control than buying 2000 miles away and doing a renovation from far away.

Having experience building a business will help with your real estate investing, as you'll have the communication and organizational skills required to be successful.If you’re looking to invest long distance, I definitely recommend building your core-4 team.

Second largest metro area in Alabama with a population of over 500,000 when including Baldwin County, of which over 40,000 individuals commute from for work.3. 7.5 miles from downtown is The University of South Alabama which employs more than five thousand people, and has over 15,000 students.

But as I've read more about the process, including a BP published book by Brian Green 'Long Distance Investing', I'm wondering if not only is a RE agent not needed for me, but is likely to work against my favor.Why?