You will find plenty of other people in your exact position - CA, NY, or HI residents who need to look outside their own inflated markets.

What would your solution be to finding a good GC?

I currently reside /invest & work in East Tennessee.

@David Flores You can use FHA loan for primary residence only up to 4 units.

Thinking from a banker’s perspective, why wouldn’t you take a home equity line on your personal residence?  

It was my primary residence for 7 years until I moved out last August.

I own a condo in which my wife and I reside. 

In addition, if the C/O is for 1, and now will be 2, without the change and approval, the water and electric utility would not furnish you additional meters.According to the city property maps, the plot is zoned to allow either single family or multi-family residences without special allowances needed.

On FHA, you can do what's called a "non-occupying co-borrower", meaning the co-borrower is not occupying the property as their primary residence. 

Either way, we don't want unhappy residents in our houses.