My day job is in Data and Analytics. 

Often raw data includes many fields, and knowing which ones are the valuable ones is pretty much of paramount importance. 

I've learned I can still leverage MLS access/data for comps and getting a feel for a neighborhood. 

I explored a bunch of options and realized that a cash out refinance was the fastest option for me. 

For that reason, we may explore investing elsewhere where we have connections - Tucson AZ and FL - hoping for better potential.

If so, I would very strongly consider the merit of taking on $300k in debt in order to achieve this level of earning potential and perhaps explore cheaper ways of attaining this education.Rather than thinking about how you can mitigate a poor financial decision through real estate, I respectfully suggest that perhaps it's better to not make the poor financial decision in the first place.  

Here is anecdotal evidence from one data point (me).

You might also want to explore rent default insurance to help mitigate your lost rental income and eviction costs should you find yourself in a similar situation. 

I still have plenty more to explore, but am I just going to be treading water if I keep looking for contractors through online sources (yelp, homeadvisor) that won't blow my budget?

I'm going to move and will be in a location where I can easily invest in a few MSA's within easy driving distance.The challenge to getting a solid handle on what those MSA's are doing overall is finding decent data: it's either for a single point-in-time (not showing year-over-year trends), dated, not reputable/no idea where it comes from, or too much money to take a chance on it answering my questions.Any recommendations?