It will be a weight lifted off your shoulders once you find one that answers the phone when you call and makes stuff happen.

Looking for some thoughts from those more experienced how to weight out this side of the deal.

You'll also want to ensure you have a good property manager to look after the upkeep of the property if you are not there to notice anything deteriorating or which may need attention.Creating an LLC in California would cost you a minimum tax of $800 every year. 

Unfortunately my lack of experience in the market I'm in makes it hard for me to effectively weight the different risks and is throwing a wrench in my plan.

Dump fees are based on weight , thats a lot of weight .

If you begin to type my name @Jacks.... you should see a list of names pop up, keep typing till you see my name then click on it. 

Generally the T3 is the best indicator of trend and your lender will put most weight on those numbers.

I place more weight on the desire for cash flow, but as I believe its more of a spectrum than an either/or, I'm trying to identify markets where there is at least a greater likelihood for appreciation as well. 

Obviously you're not one that makes sure the upkeep on rentals is as if you were living there. 

I looked at a 2 fam property for a client and the price difference in insurance was absurd compared to the additional rent, not to mention pool up keep.