Your current home is a little high for the "ideal" rental property in Fort Worth but I certainly like the idea of renting it for 2 years and then selling it tax free.  

Given how much big tech benefits from them, they aren't going away.The biggest issues are that FOB visa holders often aren't terribly familiar with American building materials, customs, and appliances and so often misuse them. 

The ideal situation is to purchase a four-plex.

Ideally we're looking for around here but it seems that's not practical. 

Actively investing out of state can work, but passive investing through syndication deals is ideal for out of state investors looking for better value in top markets.

We install custom oak kitchen cabinets with high-quality hinges and drawer rollers so when a tenant damages the cabinets we can remove the face, make new doors and drawer fronts, paint the frames and our cost never exceeds $1200. i don't know how well your cabinets will hold up or what you will do if they start to sag and fall apart.

They weed out the weak and the weak in their mind  is the lowest paying customers.

REI is all about taking risks, and since you only have enough capital to try out one strategy right now (perfectly normal for someone starting out - no, you're not behind the curve) then I would start with your safest bet that is going to make you more profitable in the long run, either with knowledge or cash flow... ideally both!

A sense of urgency: People aren’t browsing Zillow to pass a slow day at work—they want to rent right now, crowding the market with high-intent customers.

I wouldn’t rent to individuals who don’t make at least 3x rent (and ideally they’d make more than that as that’s just a floor), I also wouldn’t accept a co-signer who doesn’t make at least 5x rent because they have their own bills and expenses, even if their credit scores check out I’d be concerned about them bringing in enough on a monthly basis to ensure that I was always getting paid, I’d honestly rather my unit be vacant than to rent to unqualified tenants ESPECIALLY in New York where eviction is a nightmare and the state doesn’t care about landlords in the least