I think you'll be very happy in the Cleveland / Lorain market as well and I always tons of demand for rentals whenever I list a property in Euclid so that's a great area to target as well! 

Most people never own a single rental.

you would need to make monthly payments to the seller during the rehab, just like to any other lender, and then if it were a rental, you would want the rent to cover the payments plus all other expenses.you'd also need to figure out how to pay for the rehab - either out of pocket, or finance it somehow. 

Do you think a duplex is generally a better investment than a single-family home for rental purposes?

-Since you will be house hacking, see what 1 bedroom rentals are going for in the area.

I'll share for myself real quick - Mine is fairly straightforward - all long term rentals, filing single. 

I have over a hundred rental units I own and operate in Utah everything from homes and condos to larger multifamily.Salt Lake County has higher property taxes and is basically built out already and Ogden even though you can find good opportunities in the long run it won't be able to compete with South Utah County or Eagle Mountain. 

Quote from @Dan Hertler: I currently manage some of my out of state rentals, but would like to create my own property management business locally in New York (Long Island). 

Northwest Arkansas has a lot going for it—strong job growth, solid demand, and a mix of rental opportunities.

Look for areas with stronger rental demand, lower property taxes, and minimal HOA fees to keep expenses down.