It's a 7-unit shopping plaza, all units are rented to local/ neighborhood businesses.

I'm in Knoxville too. happy to connect you with anyone locally. 

Nothing beats local knowledge though & speaking with boots on the ground. 

Are local credit unions more flexible on these criteria?

You're in the right place to network, going to some local meetups could prove beneficial to learning about investment opportunities as well.

I'm also a Realtor® here in Orlando and also on the board of CFRI, the local chapter of the National REIA.

Just got a phone call from a local fencing contractor telling me that he just finished installing a fence at one of my rentals. 

Michigan might be a bit easier to start with because you may have more knowledge about the local area and market trends, but starting there could potentially slow down your move to Florida.

I hope to learn from the collective expertise of the members on BP and build a local team in Milwaukee. 

However, my local REIA is the only paid community that I am a part of and it is $200 per year.