I was considering turnkey properties because they're lower maintenance on the landlord's part, as I'd live in another state and have a prop mgmt company handle the prop.

Sometime you have lower loan eligibility may be that lender is not lending on that loan amount.  

You will have to pay for the lower risk with a lower return.I would propose that identifying your own properties, tenant occupied, and putting them under your own property management gives you more control and a higher return.  

FHA loans do allow you to house hack, no problem there.With your lower income, it will be tough to qualify for very much on a loan.

I have seen some investors do very well with seller financed transactions.

I'm under the assumption that a property being sold with a 30yr old roof in need of replacement would be valued (or even assessed) at a lower amount than the same exact property that just had a 30yr roof done?

At that point you can work on sales because you want to and not because you have to keep doing another transaction to get by.     

I understand one way is utilizing depreciation to lower my active income's taxes, but when are people pulling out salaries to utilize in their non real estate life.  

One of the problems is that it is surrounded by a couple of lower income communities.  

I might suggest offering a lower rent than what they pay month to month as an enticement for going long term (and that could mean either offering a lower rent than what they pay now, or raise the rent if they want to pay month to month).All those little decisions you'll just have to feel out what works with your place and tenants.