Real slim chance of me ever getting a mortgage in the next 7 years.

Its a bit of slim pickings out there but there are still deals to be had.

It will probably be a good buy and hold in the long term, because the area is appreciating nicely, but it may be a slim cashflow, unless you buy a awesome deal.My two cents, I dont own anything there, I just like the area a lot. 

There is always the chance that you can find a deal on loopnet, but I would count those chances as very slim, especially if you are in a competitive market.My best advice for you is:1.

@Eric Pink, though the pickings are slim, there are some properties that occasionally pop up. 

Only real value is that I'll reach out to him when I have slim deals.

Kent is further away from Seattle, so the chance of it appreciating beyond 2006/2007 values is somewhat slim.  

I'm trying to think what I would do next time with these slim margins. 

the cause of the issue needs to be addressed as well as a complete repair of the results of the leak. if it has been 3 weeks, mold most likely is not going to be an issue. most black mold will start to grow within 48 hours and certainly by 3 weeks would be very evident. there are 18 different species of black mold and only 2 of them are toxic. the chances of getting the toxic kind are slim, yes, but still possible. a reputable company such as servepro  certainly could leave you with no worries in the end

One slight hiccup, and that slim profit is wiped out, leading into NEGATIVE equity!