When you talk about liability you can offset that by making sure you have a good Insurance policy and close the loan in an LLC.LLC protects you and your assets from lawsuits and any litigation from any and all accidents/injuries.

They need to pay for it which will ultimately result in a feud I feel like…which I tend to always try to prevent. 

They will get a $100,000 liability to cover fires, water damage, accidents, and more.As @Greg Scott stated, you should require your tenant to add you as "additional insured" on their policy.

Of the 3 cities, I am leaning towards Charleston since it is bounded at least partially by water and wetlands which would prevent large-scale urban sprawl and increased supply of housing.

Serious injury or death has occurred from each of these items, and they could have been prevented by keeping watch and staying on top of things.

(Sometime a larger one sneaks in by accident.

Yes, even if the seller finances the real estate deal, that does not prevent you from taking advantage of the tax benefits associated with owning rental property.

All it takes is one slip and fall or other accident and you'd be toast.

You must document the use of the money to prevent a claim that you made a consumer-purpose loan.

However, if you’re committed to a specific suburban area, working closely with a local agent who knows the market well could be invaluable.Working with an Agent: Starting with a knowledgeable agent in your chosen market can definitely help streamline your efforts and prevent that analysis paralysis.