Also.. what about the long, narrow kitchen... the stove/oven is currently on the wall next to the bathroom.... any thoughts on how we could go about making the kitchen a little better?

I'd rather buy one that has gotten band-aids on band-aids over the years, like carpet on hardwood and paneling on plaster, and peel it off to restore it.

No uppers along long wall, but a couple of long open shelves, to keep narrow space feeling more open.  

I’m sure you could narrow it down and pick 300

Once you've narrowed down to an area you want to buy in then you should reach out to companies in that market & speak to them about the products & services they offer.

-Became debt free (outside mortgage on rental property)-Researched and narrowed down a couple different markets in North Carolina (where I'm from and already invest in).

I’m still narrowing down my target markets and will reach out to you as I close in.

I agree that most of west of of that line is great B and A class properties, there are still a ton of A, B, and C neighborhoods east of there.

We do believe that it’s hard to know what a good investment is if you don’t know what else is available so we’re probably going to narrow down a couple of cities and research the heck out of them so if we find we’re looking at somewhere that your firm operates we might see if we can drop in for a visit.

Then, within that range, try to narrow to the best of your abilities using your available comps.Also, if the house needs work, understand that different levels of upgrades will get you different ARVs.