But what about property with less meat on the bone so to say... maybe something that is a solid investment but less cash flow and turn key.

I have a solid base educationally but i I am debating on becoming a home inspector to further my knowledge to help in this career path.

But I think you need to have a good solid understanding of the basics - not every nitty gritty detail. 

I think it's a solid plan! 

ill definitely be in the area a lot, seems like there's some solid deals.

For example, fiber board instead of sheetrock, nicer windows, better plumbing fixtures, solid vs hollow core doors. 

It’ll be clear if the deal is solid or not.

Because if it does it seems like it would be a slam dunk, because $350 in cashflow is better than what my calculations have been looking like in Bloomington (potentially because I'm doing something wrong or because I'm looking at a house hack to get myself started) and pairing that with a decent CAP rate and an appreciating property sounds to me like a solid deal.

You could keep it in your name, but a 3-unit should easily cost $150 month in utilities, so make sure your rent increases are solid otherwise they will hurt your cash flow.Don't rely on your realtor's estimates on cap rates before buying.

With the boom In Asheville and proximity to Charlotte it seems like an affordable secondary market for solid returns.