Sometimes bad things hit good people.You never know, perhaps he has:Covid, orLost everything, orBecome deceased, orBeen diagnosed with a major health problem, orBeen served with divorce, orBeen arrested for drunk driving, oretc...; orJust decided he doesn't like you--for whatever reason.I knew a very well to do man who fell off the radar years ago when the economy took a nosedive.

Not to discourage you, but we live in a shark infested investor area with a lot of transient tenants (higher ed/ medical) that drive investment prices. 

Goal is to seek out safe neighborhoods within a 25 min drive. 

I drive there every weekend to look at houses

I'm currently narrowing down my Townships and trying to scour data/street views/physically walking + driving through prospective towns.Look forward to reading some of the responses, I especially want to learn from your mistakes!

With buyers in my area ecstatic over the lower interest rates on conventional loans, and driving up prices as a result, It may be the right pivot to use 203k on a property that is much less conventional and often still ignored.

A drive-by at various times may be fruitful.

I'll soon have access to MLS myself and/or I can drive for dollars on my own.

If you have drive, desire and motivation, you will find a way to buy one keeping to your values.

If it’s not within a 1 hour drive it’s basically virtual wholesaling, so at that point why not pick the best market out there, if you speak another language pick somewhere that will likely help