Your thoughts on what makes a property “in a war zone”.

[Alex R.]

I’ve seen in posts and in books advice to newbie investors to find cheap properties in low income areas, but to stay away from properties “in a war zoneâ€. But these posts and books never quantify what the difference is between a lower income area and “a war zoneâ€. As a newbie myself, I want to be able to recognize the difference. Can you help me understand in a quantifiable way what the differences (and similarities) are between the areas? Does it just boil down to crime rates?