Also, search online for minimum health/safety/physical requirements of the property/unit. 

However, my physical link to MD is that that is where my parents live.

Kevin,I like studying with physical books, so I went with the Kaplan courses that included books:https://www.kapre.com/real-est...Totally great.

I look through records for owed taxes and things like that, but I always kinda wrote off physically driving around mclean, Langley, oakton ect. areas looking for homes.

Don't forget about REITS also, They all got beaten down during the pandemic and I think will be hurting through early next year, good way to supplement physical real estate investments.. pays you dividends also.If your investing in Northern VA the cash flow is a little disappointing for how much your paying but you get it back in the appreciation.

With the expiration of a moratorium, I would also exercise caution here. 

Having the right handyman, electrician, plumber, and carpenter on speed dial is vital, which can help limit your need to be physically located near the investment property. 

I found that very few people read leases, that's why we went back to paper leases and signing in person, because that gives me an opportunity to explain a few things, go over home operation, safety and maintenance.But still, people don't listen very well (or remember everything I said) - so I leave them with two house warming gifts: Command brand picture hanging strips and quality snap-on felt bottoms for their chairs.This serves as a physical reminder of what I want them to do: not make holes in the walls and scratches in the floors. 

I am a travel physical therapist and I would like to long-distance-invest in the Kansas City, MO area for my first investment property.

I'd challenge you to try to make this exercise more quantitative than that qualitative.