I myself have a 1/1 apartment on Davis Islands near the hospital that I'm considering renting to traveling nurses.The problem with rental arbitrage is that you need leverage as the renter to negotiate assignable lease terms with your landlord.

Where people went cheap with online brokers, many of those companies just did not have the resources or expertise is seemed in many instances to handle claims. 

Same goes for other things too, but now I don't mess around with anything regarding water and cheap brands I haven't heard of before.2.

I will reach out when I come back from traveling and start looking at the area. 

Start with your primary, rent out any spare bedrooms "house hack"Use that to practice upgrades, kitchen, bathroom, curb appeal... etcNow you have experience as a landlord and flipper, use that to buy a distressed propertyAdd 40% equity to the property through home makeover, refinance into a low cost mortgageNow you are cashflowing a healthy margin on a second property, use that to build equity over time, cashout later and buy your duplex/quad.If it's going to take you 10 years to save up a down payment for a small apartment building, yeah it makes more sense to start growing your portfolio with cheap SFR flips instead.Every market is different, every borrower is different, every property is different, it would be ill-advised to recommend anything without recognizing the individual's nuanced goals and objectives with their next acquisition.

He rented the stores for office use, like a travel agency, and the other to a video store, when a barber shop of many years closed up.

I was able to travel down and see the property just before closing. 

Try to find that property near your home so you wont travel far if something needs more attention.

Pick a handful and travel to them.

I would like to convert the garage into a one bedroom and rent either to another long term tenant or mid term (30 day min for professors or traveling nurses).