Talk to a local lender to know what you can afford.  2.Research how to do real estate transactions, get a good RE lawyer or find a good investment knowledgeable agent.

That region will require some risk mitigation, and would be better suited for a local flipper specializing in those types of properties vs buy and hold OOS IMO. 

I'd definitely double check and triple check your local/city regulations in regards to rentals, so there are no surprises as to what you can do legally. 

I don't have any local meetups but there are a lot of online groups.

Definitely want to consult with a local realtor or real estate attorney 

I would love to get some advice from locals or any real estate expert with experience in Maryland on the best locations (cities, neighborhoods, etc) to buy this type of property at a fair price.Thanks in advance!

Although I have knowledge and experience in my local market, I am most interested in some out-of-state options as I like those opportunities better than what I have locally but know little about where to begin evaluating those markets and the pros and cons of the different states.

We highly recommend though, having a local expert that you can run addresses by, to confirm the target property in on a good block before signing a purchase contract.

I'd recommend going around your local community there & finding a credit union that does this!

Hey Billy, you said you'll be living in one of the units...Are you local now?