Finding something good and affordable in the NW or NE is going to be tough, it might be worth it to just plan on either a primary residence or a rental, or perhaps a primary that you plan on turning into a rental in a couple years.

Construction costs are spiking, making it impossible to replace product that rents for $800 - $1200, which happens to be the range most can afford.

@Sean Autry its not a thickness of the product, its a thickness of wear layer (hard coating protecting floor). 

They might sell at a discount, but may be more tough to rent. 

We've been buying more and more product in Chicagoland and prefer to avoid Cook County, when possible, but, if we find a good deal, we'll bid on it.You have three main factors that affect timelines for NPNs in judicial states: the courts, the foreclosing attorney, and the noteholder.

See if there is anyone out there that shares your goals and vision and ask the tough questions upfront.I would look up NARPM and start with them..Below are some questions I would think would be a good starting point for you to see who really treats their company like a business or a hobby.Questions to Ask prospective management companiesWhat are your average days on market for vacant homes?

@Dylan Vargas it’s $2000/month, and it’s tough!

The # of Realtors in your area is probably high, and although the courses and tests to get started are not that tough ( in Texas), like I said there are plenty of Realtors looking to pick up clients.  

A lot of forum members are very knowledgeable in their respective fields related to real estate investing, whether that is real estate sales, wholesaling, flipping, rentals, lending, self-directed IRA and Solo 401k investing, or tax and legal guidance.Discounts on some products and services are offered to BP members: https://www.biggerpockets.com/perks/proIf you haven’t been to it already, you might want to check out the BP blog: https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/The site has quite a few tools that can be helpful for new members.

In higher priced markets like CA or certain parts of NY & NJ, some people want to just be paying much less than if they rented.You will need to decide for yourself what your goals are and then you'll be able to determine what a good deal is.Yes, it is possible to get FHA and other loan products for 4 unit and less properties.