Thus, I see real estate/tax lien investing the same way, professional level education will lead to professional level results, I have no desire to re-invent the wheel here.

Should I be asking agents to only look at foreclosures and short sales in my desired cities or can I find deals in other ways than just getting a foreclosed property?

The individual should be able to determine the desired cashflow after factoring the area, type/class of neighborhood, and potential opportunity for appreciation.Is there anything I should change in order to increase my success?

My advice even though you didn't ask, is to start off slow and make sure real estate investing is something that you're going to enjoy, be good at, make money at and have a true desire to be apart of.

Hence my desire to have streams of income that I can manage from home.I'm starting in fix and flips and eventually graduating into buy and holds. 

I have a desire to move out of state this year so I do not plan on continuing to house hack in it.

Single family properties continue to be extremely desirable to both renters and homeowners, providing cashflow while remaining relatively easy to offload if the need arises.

Single family properties continue to be extremely desirable to both renters and homeowners, providing cashflow while remaining relatively easy to offload if the need arises.

I understand that you're trying to control this property, however I don't know if you desire to buy equity at a discount or cash-flow at a discount?

We are one of a very few rentals in the area...it's in a desirable area with primarily owner occupied single family homes nearby.