Can you sell the car and buy a junker for a year or so? 

@Kyle LipkoRecommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

Buy a quality couch from a US manufacturer and their fabrics are usually excellent.

Investment Info:Single-family residence buy & hold investment in Riverdale.

To avoid pitfalls, research liens, check property conditions, and set a max bid before buying.

And there are no counties that ban out of state investors buying investment properties.  

Congrats on buying your first condo—that’s a big move, especially in a competitive market like NYC.

I’m looking into buying a rental(s) in this area.

Are you agent yourself and what makes you say that you'll avoid buying a home under 1000 sqaure feet again? 

Probably buy during hurricane season (now) to get the best deal.