I've done several deals locally in Northern New Jersey, but am thinking of the condo market in Boston, Chicago, etc which will put me in a position of being a landlord from a distance for the first time.Who here has experience with this / what suggestions do you have?

It may simply be very tough to manage a manager from such a far distance without knowing them very well.  

I have used this platform to purchase cheap land across the nation to allow myself to get experience selling at a distance. $601 for an acre is not too bad to teach yourself a lesson and to allow yourself to expand your scope of knowledge, plus you can sell the property.

Not a ton of choices in driving distance. 

I am really interested in becoming a first time home owner within super easy commuting distance (6 minutes) of a huge manufacturing plant that is about to be built.

200K for a two family+ is almost impossible to find in the five boroughs. i think mount vernon is one of your best options if you consider distance  

Many HML programs don't allow properties on over 5 acres, or properties that are more than X distance from major towns (depends on the loan & lender).Minimum loan balances too low.

I am currently an engineer working in Houston, TX so we may be looking at long distance investing, at least in the short term.As we get started we are trying to build our team, especially since we are starting long distance.

I wish I could be more specific - but you didn't outline your financial resources, time constraints, goals, interests.  

The location is lower Clifton, not within walking distance of UC, but near it.