So the initial appraisal for the refinance was good at the time, but now the As-Is is not gaining traction with buyers.

I do appreciate generating attention to the post for guys that might have some advice that isn't the obvious.

Also pay attention to the lot size and see if you can add one more unit and make it a triplex in the future.

Being a curious person, I gained an interest in real estate investing due to other classmates being interested in real estate.

By working for a larger corporation you are gaining an unfair advantage, by letting them train and develop you (while you are getting paid) and you do real estate on the side.This idea is not from me, read RichDad. 

Yes you are losing out on market gains but you are gaining appreciation on the property, cashflow from rents, tax benefits, etc..... 

But this will also lead to future inflation.The issue is going to be the rich will get richer as they can live with lower cash flow but gain appreciation.

Now, with real estate all you put out was $25k for a $100k purchase, that you got the gains/monitization from $100k. 

I am planning to get into the TN real estate market as my first investment and am looking for some information.In particular: Areas to steer clear of, property management fees, typical cosmetic rehab costs, etc.My strategy is to put large down payments on 2 properties (relative to housing prices) to help pay for my living in NY while still gaining appreciation in a growing real estate market.

I also think the market is so slow that if an investor is paying attention they will see a trend forming and can react in before there is material shift in values.