Do you have any idea of the price point you can afford and are you looking for turn-key properties or something along the lines of a "fixer upper"?

A PMC is great to use not only for all these items but also really being a trusted source for vendors too etc. 

I definitely would pay attention to key macroeconomic stats such as population growth, job growth, and where companies are moving/developing.

Akron is a very blue city and are not very landlord friendly - source of income protections, etc... 

The key to investing out of state is finding a good property manager.  

I work with investors who are looking for LTR's with turn-key properties.

Doing your research and finding an experienced seller to guide you is key to ensuring successful commercial transactions.

Have you considered Turn-key? 

A good designer and architect are key for a successful project like this and keep in mind these aren't cheap.There's a lot more details to consider, feel free to DM me for more details.

Yes you can use commission as sourced funds for down payment on a conventional loan.However some lenders have internal overlays that don't allow it.