My main challenge as a part-time investor is being lower on their buyer's list but that just logical business.

If you're serious about investing $50k or more in apartment deals then you may also want to purchase Michael Blanks's Syndicated Deal Analyzer. 

If it's a 2/1 falling apart, good luck. 

*Side note: I realize that many may pick apart the reasoning of spending $10k for a unit rehab that only nets $100/mo more, but there is a specific reasoning for that. 

My Ex-Wife and I are finally selling our apartment which we bought when I was stationed in Hawaii. 

Would take a good amount of work/money to clean that apartment up so I'd prefer not to kick her out...Thanks in advance...

Learn these different ways, familiarize yourself with the different financing options, learn about the different structures of a home/apartment building (no need to be a pro for this - Just know what they are and the way they work).

I am not in any pressing need to move and am comfortable in my current apartment, with a lease running through June 2018. 

Nope... apartment.

I am currently living in one unit and looking for another tenant for a vacant apartment.