You need to do renovations, improve the property, and drive up rents.

after reading all of these comments, I don't want to waste my time ( considering I have to drive 1.5 hours each way to the workshop).

I’m sure every city has areas that should be avoided, so your perspective would be invaluable for many.Tallmadge itself is a nice city, Goodyear heights is spotty and can be nice in a few block area and turn poorer as you drive down the street .

They'll just keep coming back with new issues for you to fix.How to tell if this is a legit mold issue or if it's the tenants problem: initial sniff test goes as follows....did the previous tenants have this issue?

There are also multiple universities that drive rental demand.

Spending more than 100 hours and more than anyone else, or substantially all the time in the business.So if you own an STR and meet the test, you can set up a tax deduction machine.Some issues -- You have to count your time, and the time other people work in the biz (cleaning, maintenance, etc..)- If use the property more than 15 days or 10% of the time it becomes a residenceI suspect this is part of why the STR trend has picked up so greatly amongst professionals working in tech.

.: Quote from @Bruce Woodruff: Quote from @Engelo Rumora:  What happened to the good old shoulder barge or accidental door kick hahaI don't ever remember buying a house without getting some eyes on it.I've always found some a back door or window "open" heheIf a neighbor approaches me, "No habla ingles" 😁Yep, I used to drive neighborhoods and look for those deserted looking houses that had potential.

Your scattered approach is going nowhere fast (analysis paralysis) and is highly likely to result in someone taking advantage of you:(Recommend:1) Figuring out what investment approach suits your skills & risk tolerance2) Determining where in the US to apply your chosen approach3) Learning everything you can about that market4) Networking & building contacts & team in the market5) Doing a "test" investment in that market to make sure your expectations are met6) Investing more if your expectations are met.-- If not, go back to step #1 as you many have chosen the wrong approach!

Like @Nicholas L. said, maybe look within a reasonable driving distance from where you live, is there any city or state where you have family or friends that live there where you could travel to frequently and they could keep on the property for you or somewhere you visit a lot.  

*Neighborhood drive bys could get you shot.