Read "Long-Distance Real Estate Investing" by David Greene to better understand how to find a market and do things from a distance.

How did you find the right market?

Kishl,If you want to talk to a seasoned expert in Dallas and DFW reach out to @Lucia RushtonLucia is a member here on the BP forum and has helped tons of my bank customers find a great investment property. 

How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

I hope someone can offer me to find an investor who would be willing to have me come along just to gain experience (preferably on the weekends and over school holidays and breaks).

"You can't find good tenants in cheap properties."

You should still be able to find a few lenders to do smaller rehabs like that, as long as the ARV supports it, and often times the BRRRR tends to work better that way because if it is in a good Sec 8 area with rents that support the ARV, the refi can work out well.Happy to connect and talk through details if you are interested!

They are in the home buying process but may not find a home until next year.

Fortunately, the condo has two showers. a plumber will out tomorrow, but I don’t understand how they find the source of the leak, if I can’t authorize for them to cut the dry wall on a condo that’s not mine. shouldn the owner downstairs call a plumber? 

Duplexes are hard to find here as well.