Middle income, blue colar, medium sized home 1,200 sq ft, 3Br 1Ba.

"The Plan" within 5 years find a location 1 or 2 back from ocean front that has great rental potential for summer use (I don't plan on using the property during peak rental season) only personal use is during the off season as a retirement home. 1 to 1.5 to invest with 300k reserve for operating cost , the homes in NC seem to fit the bill but downfall would rather be a little more south SC or GA but don't believe the rental potential is their, mostly condo's in SC and don't know that much about GA's "Hot Spots" Any Insite would be helpful   

However, be aware a home inspector I work with told me that the roofs on shore houses need yearly maintenance due to the ocean winds. 

I added value by updating both Kitchens appliances/flooring/Paint, installing new light fixtures and flooring, and painting the exterior siding a nice grey instead of the nasty blue that was there What was the outcome?

When you get all the way east toward Blue Springs, it's actually quite nice.

Sugar Creek is a typical Midwest blue collar working class neighborhood.

I know it well and believe it to be a good market for San Diego county but I have no reason to believe it to be better than other blue collar markets in San Diego (el Cajon, santee, lakeside, etc).  

My LLC is in VA and the property of interest is in GA, my lawyer said that this is not an issue, but I want to confirm here that an out of state LLC is not a major issue in Blue Ridge / Smokey Mountain regions. 

And when you get far east, closer to Blue Springs, it's real nice.

@Sachin Maskey Check out Blue Vine.