FYI, if it's only water stains(brownish spots), and not bad drywall that will need removed(like if it's sagging or you can easily break thru it), then you can paint over it. 

Now it can easily blow way past 100. 

(how and when to change filters, how to run the sprinkler system (if there is one), where is the water shut off?

If you’re investing in Dothan I would look to roll your free and clear home into a loan on a bigger property that could easily rent to the pilots that are constantly rotating through there.

Last year I actually bought a property (actually saved it from foreclosure) that was assessed for $56,250 based on 35% of the appraised value ($160,714) by the county...I paid exactly $160,714 for it.....It is easily worth $200k........I could have gotten it a lot cheaper if I would have let it go to foreclosure and bought at sheriff sale, but I really wanted this property (its a business) and that process would have taken 6-9 months which means the store would have had to close.  

Can I get out of my contract easily?

Those numbers are easily achieved in many markets renting SFH or typical multi family properties or flipping.

I feel a sense of urgency to start investing soon, but as a small business owner who just showed a profit for the first time two years ago, disposable income doesn't come easily.

(Not by using Google maps because they can easily be outdated pictures) There should be some.

That could easily be a year of holding costs plus thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars in fees just to submit to the city/county.