I would consider staying with your parents and investing in another market that stretches your dollar and covers the cost of a professional property manager.

Richmond is a growing market with strong tenant demand from young professionals, families, and college students, depending on the neighborhood.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

I am a professional photographer and have been doing that for the past 18 years, so I'll also be building my business in NC from the ground up!

Ask a local professional.

I've read mixed reviews on host experiences with VRBO and Booking.com, so I've been hesistant to list there.Currently, using PriceLabs and tweaking/ analyzing pricing a few times a week.Honestly, my photos are not the greatest yet, but it is a high priority for me to get professional photos soon.

My professional background is data science / analytics, which means analyzing cash flows will probably come more naturally than building relationships, which apparently, is how one finds deals worth making.Are there meetups in these areas I should attend (digitally at first, presumably)? 

This is when you hire a staging professional or staging company to come in, make recommendations, and do the work for you.

That said there are some nuances and requirements to property implement interest tracing so ensure you talk to your tax professional ahead of time and keep the funds movement as clean as possible. 

You can use some of that Salsa dancing and spanish to help you get more info from locals and professionals lol :)