It seems like you're hungry to learn, which might be your best asset along with your energy and work ethic. 

For folks like this, we ensure they are maximizing their 401k, HSA and IRA before even mentioning any potential real estate strategies.

I'm wondering if this is still a smart option to generate equity even if I'm paying the difference on the loan myself or potentially sell after my time in Hawaii comes to an end.

If the average days on the market for recently sold properties is relatively low and they are selling close to the listing price then the data is telling you that the risk of purchasing, renovating and reselling quickly is relatively low, despite the crime data.Establishing local relationships and having a team on the ground that you can trust can mitigate the risk associated with a potentially bad neighborhood.Regarding West Englewood- We sold a property in that neighborhood in the fall for an absentee owner.

You can potentially get financing depending on the condition.

Incorporating industry-specific terms can add appeal and attract the attention of potential investors.

It will be much more painful for you to have to deal with the potential consequences of this dog than have to deal with removing the tenant. 

My key criterion is a property with strong potential for value appreciation over the next 5-10 years. 

Managing For a client, the potential tenant should be aware of what will be expected of them (Work History, Income X3.5 rent, Credit (580 and more, etc, and Level -2 background) within the disclosure of the actual application and how they will be evaluated and screened.

Quote from @Garrett RoRo: Hi everyone,I'm a pharmacist at a hospital in Boston, MA and was wondering if I could collect referral fees@Garrett Ro potentially you could get your license in every state.