Long distance BRRRR is another strategy that I would choose.  

We just got disinterested after that due to our distance away and lack of being able to search for property in person.

@Lien Vuong Quincy is my personal favorite due to asian food and community but as you mention slightly far from the city for STR but if I get a walking distance from the T, that would be doable. 

Distance from primary home has to make sense. 

We're based out of California, but have a solid team in Atlanta, including a contractor and realtor.Due to the distance, we've had some challenges with in-person meetups.

And then we will have autonomous systems to dirve - I think we have about 3 million long distance truck drivers.

Having a team in place is essential to long-distance investing.

A 1 hour commute is not a problem but you may need to provide a letter of explanation.

I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and would ideally like to invest in IL since my family is still there and can serve as a home base for whenever I need to be in the area, but with IL property taxes being as high as they are I'm also scoping other markets in nearby states.Does anyone have any general advice for buying / investing long distance?

Long Distance Real Estate investing my David Greene is the best book out there on this subject.