Over the past year I have begun developing a new way of carrying out my business and that is by finding off market gems! 

Always sending us gems...thanks James!

I would be a little cautious with your rehab as older houses can have a lot more hidden expenses, so just be conservative with your estimates, it sounds like it could have foundation problems if a floor is dipping.

Firm foundation with cash only owned properties.I don’t believe in the blogs, podcasts and sales cashflow “guru’s" that push financing.There are hidden agenda's there and they make more money if someone can purchase more properties..Money makes money.

The Wilkes-Barre and Scranton market seem to be a hidden gem in buy and hold real estate investment.

Are there any hidden hurdles to be aware of when considering making a career switch in this direction?

A 401(k) invested in the stock market has a lot of hidden fees.

I think it is a hidden gem. 

Getting the pool fixed before closing could save you a headache later, especially with potential hidden issues. 

To address your main concern about buying a stinker property: most of the time when a property looks good on paper but stinks in real life is because of an older property with a lot of deferred maintenance, hidden defects and capex issues.