I also operate in the Birmingham market and can provide some insight.If you ever want to connect and compare apples to apples, I’d love to chat! 

I would be very happy to help you with finding the right condo, listed on MLS or off-market deals that I know of out there. 

How do you market vacant units?

We analyze the entire market based on rental data and assign NOI's to all single family and multifamily simultaneously, then rank them. 

This had a noticeable impact on the rental market but only for a short time and we quickly rebounded.

The small multi market is fairly plentiful in Cleveland, some of which being in your range, and you should be able to find some financing for them.

If Florida is on your radar, Tampa and surrounding areas still have some solid deals, plus the rental demand is strong.Since you’re from San Antonio, you probably know how tight the market can be, but off-market deals are key—sometimes the best duplexes never hit the MLS.

@Michael Prejean I'd say consider working with the person who is in the market you intend to work in, can show you proof of concept(Not just great advertisement), can provide references.Further you should understand what the program looks like. 

Kathy Fettke, who is the owner, is a regular host for the On The Market podcast.

When they present to buyers that they are spending $1M+ on a house that a handyman worked on, it may not go well.If your goal is to truly flip, your best bet is to find direct Sellers who are willing to sell at a steeper discount than if they were to put it on the market.