I pay for my flights with mileage points also just some tips. 

Aaron, If I were you, I'd spend $500 to fly out look at the property (I checked flights out of Denver for tomorrow) and talk to at least 2 local PMs or REI friendly Realtors to verify #'s for a $175k purchase rather than rely on a few comments here.

Dang  11 hour flight at $1,100 to collect $700 rent. 

Booked in advance so I had dirt cheap flights, booked a cheap motel and viewed 70 (!!!)

Memphis, Milwaukee, Michigan and many other places provide you properties that are affordable, excellent value and within a cheap plane flight as well.

Just wondering if there were any 'tricks' to scoping out before we booked a flight. 

It'll be easier than programming your GPS for a flight from PDX to STS via direct.  

I bought property from a 'one-stop shop ' realtor in a city a 2 hr flight away.

.), I have decided that it seems to make more sense to be a bit closer (days drive, quick flight etc).

Although I plan on subbing out the PM to a local guy up in Cleveland, the company I work for has direct flights daily, so getting to and from wouldn't be an issue.So the question I have is this; would it be better to use the money in the account to purchase a SFR outright and collect the cashflow, building up enough capital to purchase another then another house, or would it be a better idea to leverage out that money and pick up a couple of units (or maybe even a quad or two?)