You have a bigger loan, but not a bigger tax basis.

I'm a little hesitant to get into the city of Syracuse. 

Having a long-term rental while living abroad is do-able.Flipping houses while abroad, in my opinion, more difficult, especially if its your first go around with real estate.I would recommend taking a flight and staying in the area for a week and inspect the neighborhoods and make connections.You can reach out to @Elenis Camargo who has a PM company in Jacksonville.Best of luck though.

You’re not using a PM, AND you’re assuming you can charge a service animal a deposit and pet rent?

A property that I own was on the market. 

I assume a higher upfront cost as far as land purchase and the actual build but you would have a brand new house, instant equity and hopefully maintenance free for quite a while.

The IRS is taking a more conservative approach and you want to ensure you have all your ducks in a row + a team behind you to back you up if something comes into question.

Hey Stefano Vrolijk,Speak with a local mortgage broker and get pre-approved for a loan. 

You can't really be a true car salesman type In Real Estate.

A “syndication” is almost always a capital raise for the sale of a security/investment.