I'm currently in a corporate tech job and have a strong desire to transition into full time real estate investing.

Obviously a 3/2 is more desirable than a 2/1 but if it's a deal, you'll have a buyer.

Same with properties, we manage over 400 homes in our portfolio and 50-60% of all of our clients are out of state and out of country owners and never set foot in Houston and probably have no desire to.

It's on Signal Mountain one of the more desirable areas in town.

Until I have the passive income that I desire from Renting out.

So simply going on your desire to use the smallest amount of money and lower monthly payments I would suggest moving in. 

That is where equity comes to play.To add insult to injury, not only do vacancies go through the roof, but prices in the less desirable neighborhoods tend to get hit first and the hardest in a recession.So, to summarize, quality of cash flow counts as much as quantity, and that is mostly to do with the quality of the neighborhood.

The investments are quite passive, but be sure there is really solid property management in place as part of (or less desirably affiliated with) the company selling the property.  

Regarding taxes wow i thought it was combine but again you clarified that for me. as the source i receive this information was from a co-worker who went to the area on leisure and conversed with the locals.the person also informed me of certain areas one being a less desirable area to live in (Tobyhanna) 

Not that they are bad, just that there are better deals out there with more returns and without the risks and headaches with less than desirable neighborhoods.