Also I would suspect Within sfh that if an area close by is popular or up and coming you should see some uptick in demand for your sfh and you shouldn't see the fire sale mentality that you get every so often when one you have a unit in a condo type setting for example that you're trying to get rid of.I think it's a great idea for you that continue to take your time improve your skills and knowledge of Real Estate and then proceed forward once you have a greater level of comfort so kudos to you.

I will not have any issue getting a job upon coming back to the states. 

the biggest issues are that the available tenant base drops dramatically around October and doesn't pick up again till the end of the school year.People are no different than animals in that regard.They want to be settled and hunkered down in a property before the school year and/or bad weather starts.Quality tenants with good financial backgrounds don't want to move their families in the middle of an icy,snowy winter for obvious reasons,and good college students have already started school in August.Many of the few available tenants will have questionable backgrounds like recent job loss,previous eviction,bad credit,difficult income verification and don't make 3 times the rent,criminal records,etc.   

My current job is not demanding nor is it labor intensive whatsoever.

I was recently given an end date for my current job (I'm a contract engineer so it happens).

The net migration to Nashville is positive and there are companies moving here and creating jobs.

If you pay a little more for location can you earn more in overtime or by performing better in your day job, or will it help you access your business markets and clients because of your house hack location?

I too have a friend who's done a few of these jobs on the side and offered to do the work.

I'm not willing to quit my day job.

She could not find anyone to rent her a home because she was a stay at home Mom with no verifiable income/job (left job to move home).