I would start by comparing quotes from multiple providers.

Understand the fees involved and calculate the total cost for an entire year of management so you can compare the different managers.

The reason for the water to be away from the house is water movement from surface water soaking in, such as poor grade or leaking gutters, is it will move the subsoil causing the settling.

The type of home you can get in White House is a different universe compared to what you'll get in Nashville if you're trying to be 5 mins from the urban core.Make a list of what is MOST important to you and that will guide your decision making.

Understand the fees involved and calculate the total cost for an entire year of management so you can compare the different managers.

We don’t know any PMCs to recommend in the area mentioned, but since selecting the wrong PMC is usually more harmful than selecting a bad tenant, you might want to read our series about “How to Screen a PMC Better than a Tenant”:https://www.biggerpockets.com/member-blogs/3094/91877-how-to-screen-a-pmc-better-than-a-tenant-part-1-services-and-processesWe recommend you get management contracts from several PMCs and compare the services they cover and, more importantly, what they each DO NOT cover.

The cost associated with insurance for not having 20% is peanuts compared to what you potentially can do leveraging your down payment. 

Appreciation kind of lags compared to other places further east in northern Alabama.

Selling and exploring a 1031 exchange could make sense if you can find a deal with stronger cash flow or faster equity growth, but the key is comparing your current return to what your skill and experience could generate in another investment.Here to help,Jorge

A tidy, well-organized space can help the appraiser focus on the home's features rather than distractions.Research Comparable Properties: Have a list of comparable properties (comps) that have sold recently in your area.