How to buy in a small town market?

[Anthony Raymond Cisneros]

I recently had to move to a small town in Michigan and have found that most groups and discussions, podcasts etc is about working in an urban market.

How do you minimize risk buying in a small town/rural area?

The scary part is that with no major employers close by you wonder whether you’re in the path of future profitability (since the town is quaint and seems to be gaining a “hip” vibe) or if the town is going to stall or wither away when hard times hit.

RE agents want to paint everything rosy, how do you start in this type of situation?