Also subject to both halves of "self employment tax" which is social security plus medicare.Yes, this does eat into your profit.  

Since you are in IT maybe you can ask your employer for an opportunity to work from home, even if it's a couple days a week.At the end of the day, the final decision has to be your own.

The retirement type funds that are not associated with your current employment can probably be rolled over into something that is self directed and thus allow you to invest in RE in your area or elsewhere.My advice would be if you're in high profit areas like I believe Baltimore to be (and may become more so with your recent events) would be to do it on a Roth basis.

My wife is also employed part time and brings home an additional $15,000.

Parking Information# of Parking Spaces (Total): 8.00# of Parking Spaces (Covered): 4 # of Parking Spaces (Uncovered): 4Additional Parking, Paved Parking, Carport School InformationElementary School District: 004 - Mesa Unified DistrictHigh School District: 004 - Mesa Unified District Utility InformationAPS ElectricNo Gas City Water FranchiseSewer (Public) Financial InformationAnnual Electric Expense: $79.24Annual Maintenance Expense: $2,097.92 Annual Management Expense: $1,786.10Annual Trash Expense: $385Annual Water/Sewer Expense: $1,731.01Owner AssociationAnnual Owner Association Fee: $3,600Gross Annual Scheduled Income: $250,000Adjusted Gross Income: $245,000Vacancy Allowance: 0.02Total Month Rental Income: $2,040Net Operating Income: $13,279.27Cap Rate: 7.18Equity: $185,000Existing 1st Loan: ConventionalExisting 1st Loan Type: FixedExisting 1st Loan Type: Non AssumableExisting 2nd Loan: Other (See Remarks)Existing 3rd Loan: Other (See Remarks)New Financing: Conventional, FHATaxes: $1,147Tax Year: 2014

Despite the layoffs I cannot hire any help because the unemployment pays better for oil hands than $12 to $15 an hour jobs, and I don't do under the table employment.     

These rural type areas have maybe one or two major employers and if they go out it creates a domino effect.You say it is a strong-micro economy which lends itself more to a suburban than a rural classification.We look for rents at no more than 10% of sales for NNN and 5% is optimal.

I know one of the biggest employers left in the area are downsizing which doesn't help either. 

I got a letter from the County Public Works Dept. today stating that although my paving contractor applied for permits for our driveway, the pre-installation inspection didn't occur, and therefore, the permits were not issued before the driveway at my property was installed.  

It could help but being your first rental property the bank is going to rely heavily on your personal credit/financials and employment.