I doubt the market will tank and if it does, it'll be a while out as @Brian Powers suggested.

While commercial spaces will no doubt go condo in the near term, offices, commutes and activity centers will still fight their way back in some scale.  

I doubt it, but if they are this is the best way to go as an agent. 

You can get down there periodically, to meet with contractors, property managers, realtors, and the rest of your investing tribe, and you could MAYBE even get your own eyeballs on a property now and again before pulling the trigger (doubtful), but you wouldn't able to run over to check on that squeaky back screen door that keeps acting up - let alone screen tenants or do any of the actual management in person.  

This is one of the things SEC 8 checks for when they review the lease, so it is doubtful it isn't there. 

Being so young makes me doubt myself like will people take me seriously?

I don't know Springfield city politics at all, but I imagine it's conservative overall so I doubt you'd see rent controls, eviction bans, punitive tax raises, disbanding police, etc. like you might in more liberal urban centers.

Based on the long list of items flagged on the inspection, in addition to the fact that the house is sold as-is with all the seller's junk included (basement is filled to the brim with moldy asbestos filled junk), I doubt the $10K rehab budget is realistic.

NEVER DOUBT YOURSELF OR THE MARKET INDICATIONS.

NEVER DOUBT YOURSELF OR THE MARKET INDICATIONS.