@Seth Baumgartner, I live in Cincinnati, still own (now) one rental, but had more, have done about a dozen or so flips in the area over the years, here is my take.I am fairly risk adverse, so I don't venture into neighborhoods I don't know inside and out.  

Consulting with an attorney specializing in Pennsylvania tax liens could also provide you with more tailored advice and help with negotiations.

You can also use a Fannie Mae loan to help do the renovations through the loan process up front. 

Hey @Brandon Schaar, reach out to @Darren Danowitz to help you get on the right track with assisting you and your wife to purchase your first house.

I called last week and the guy wasn't much help.

I think you're gonna have to bring in the help of an attorney that specializes in this stuff.

I hope this is helpful to you, all the best!

Thanks for your help, it was really insightful.

Its best to discuss your scenario further with a investor friendly lender so they can best advise and help you plan to build your investment portfolio because if you make one bad investment that can derail your progress.

Since each taxing municipality has different mill rates (property tax rates) a 1031 exchange into a state or municipality within a state where the mill rate is lower can help.