Hey @Devin Voelker,Glad to see you're jumping into homeownership with a house hack—such a smart strategy!

It seems like there are a lot of choices out there so I am looking for anything that can help me navigate making a decision. 

Quote from @Mei Zhu: Transunion Smart Move has an online application and screening that I recommend.Whichever you decide, make sure they provide a full credit report, not just a score.

Moot point then.But in response to your original question, no, I would not even consider climate in my choices for where to buy rentals or investment properties.

Given California's high property values, your plan to purchase a duplex or multi-family property is smart.

So, average cash flow is a product of the choices you make and the capital you have to deploy, as well as your lendability.I think what @Alecia Loveless wrote should be very helpful to you in terms of judging the money coming in, but it all depends on your location and investments.

House hacking in Baltimore can be a smart move, but there's quite a bit to consider.The Baltimore market varies significantly by neighborhood.

You’ve come to the right place to connect with some very smart investors.

Going turnkey is a smart choice given your time constraints, just make sure you have a property management in place to handle the proeprties for you. 

The choice depends on your threshold of what hassle you are willing to put up with vs what expense is worth it to avoid the hassle.