I simply want to find a job that is closer but still pays well.I feel as though house hacking would be the only option I can do right now in time but I also don't know if I enjoy my position enough to gamble that I would be here longer than the next few months.

It's a sellers market that is primarily a great investment for gambling on appreciation.

It always seems like every poster who says investing for appreciation is gambling is willing to bet on depreciation.

I currently live in the UK and am expecting to move to the Washington DC area in the middle/end of 2019. 

Don't buy any rentals in London UK, you will never be able to evict ...

@Raden Mantuano not only are you having to bank on appreciation, you are gambling on where interest rates are going to be in 9 years.

Or is it a gamble and the original owner could come back and reclaim the home?

Sell to my long-term tenant for $400,000, and invest proceeds in stock market, while avoiding new roof expense in a year or two and taking a gamble on new tenant when current one leaves if I don't sell him the house.2. 

Hello, new to REI currently an expat in the UK and looking for a market to invest in the states for LTR.

Other investors gambled, overpaid, negatively cash flowed, and got wiped out.