At first I was looking at the $30k properties and didn't find as much as I had hoped for in the areas I as looking at, mostly NW side and bordering around Wauwatosa.  

Dont want to gamble it and I intend to access it at 10k downs for low end properties.

Clarksville is on the Mid Northern border of Kentucky and Tenn.

Gamble you'll need to consider.

Not to freak anyone out, but I think some borders for states might kind of close and or perhaps days a way from temp domestic airport closures, trains stations, bus stations.

Beyond that... yeah, it's a gamble.

Pick a market and look for news about transformative projects on the borders between high-/low-end neighborhoods.

A partnership is fine at the start, However, You will really need to call the Texas Secretary of State and verify for yourself, Do not gamble on the Info you get on the internet,  Secondly, You need to safe guard your personal assets, Meaning you need to be at least an LLC, just in case things do not work out, If you are an LLC, and you have financial problems at any point, The LLC will protect you. 

Without that you really have no idea what the tenant is like, so its a big gamble. 

Yes been thinking a while about what to do after selling property:1. just pay the tax and paying off debt as you said2. 1031 DST with lower return "slightly higher risk" investment3. or QoZ funds where it's the riskiest investment/10 year money out with the investment into developmental phase/cycle location (hence lot of gambling) at the worst of time.It's win-win-win situation for uncle Sam :)