As much as I would like to invest close by, I am not interested/prepared to flip and instead want to focus on cash flowing rentals, so I've pretty much resigned myself to learning about out of state. 

Anything I might want to be prepared for “inheriting” tenants?

Unless you’re getting creative or using private financing, I don’t know of a lender that will allow less than 20% if you’re not living there.

Last night after a long day of work and trying to buy a couple Christmas gifts for the kids (I am so behind) I got emailing/texting my property manager about an idea to leverage some staging I did at my apartments into a full on furnished corporate rental option....simultaneously I was emailing back and forth with my contractor about our rehab project....while simultaneously updating my website, tracking invoices, preparing financials for my CPA....and eventually at 12:30am I threw in the towel on getting up at 5am to get my run in (also training for my 23rd marathon).  

Set-For Life by Scott Trench - Gives you a road life map on how to best prepare yourself financially early in life to get you on track to rock it at REI2.

Use VRBO if you can, higher quality of hosts, higher quality of guests.As Airbnb is preparing their IPO, they'll publish their prospectus soon.

I've looked at creative lending options but none appear to work other than old fashioned saving and a conventional loan.

I am trying to be creative and buy the place and factor the cost of paying the utilities till the leases are up and then setup new leases where they pay their own utilities. 

How to prepare to fix the problem myself. 

Otherwise saving up for an investment loan might delay you buying another property unless you decide to go the creative financing route or bring on a money partner.