Its never going to work if you want to buy in the low income areas of a city and hire management from outside.

Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties: "Steps away from the city’s hottest nightlife with plenty of space to celebrate 

If that isn't satisfactory speaking at a city counsel meeting about the subject would also seem appropriate. 

Having lived in IN for 8 years before moving to Austin TX, I believe this city offers great opportunity now and much potential.

I generally recommend if you're not going to buy a property in the city/market where you currently live, the next best place to look is where you have family (and presumably a place that you'll visit relatively often and easily).What is your price point and are you looking for turn-key properties or something along the lines of a "fixer upper", assuming you buy in Peoria or a similar priced Midwest market?

I’m very familiar with the city but have been gone three years, so curious what’s happening on the ground.

I would like to know how to read the market a lot better and learn how I can see wether or not a certain city is thriving or not, if where I purchase the duplex is thriving I'll just settle there and target SFH's there instead of moving out of state.  

The tricky part will be to get the the city to change your property's zoning to multi family (if it isn't already).

Thus, we are looking into the Johnson City-Elizabethton area or the Kingsport-Bristol area.

It's a lot of work upfront but once the team and systems are established it gets easier and as you get better you can expand to another city.