One thing that has worked well for me is spreading my budget over a 5+ touch campaign where I send mail to the same list multiple times to stay top of mind and create some familiarity.

The hope would be that I would repeat this many times of course with multiple investors and eventually use property management when it becomes too much to handle effectively.  

We just purchased a cash flowing property in this situation- the heirs just didn't want to own it!

In general the price per sf will drop as the house gets bigger and drops A LOT when you go from single story to multiple story.

given your situation i just don't think it would make sense to get into something that is break even or cash flow negative right now.and, it's very smart of you to consider different markets a little distance away.  

I realize I am not rich by any means but I want to describe my situation so an experienced REI can give me advice suited to my specific situation.

As far as a multi, personally if all things were equal I'd go for the multi for a few reasons.  1) Added diversification.. if one tenant doesn't pay, you can still cover property expenses with the other tenants 2) Shared capex... typically, one roof and one property to maintain but multiple streams of income 3) Less vacancy.. usually multi's rent for lower, for example one of mine is the sweet spot of 3 bedrooms for $1300. 

Hi Josselyn,That's a tough situation to be in, but I admire your commitment to rectify the situation not just for yourself but for your tenants as well.

Not sure if that has any bearing in my situation.  

That's the DD of the individual to decide, what fit's for YOU, in your unique situation, the "worth-it" question.