I am also considering investing and helping a local developer raise money for future projects and would just love to get plugged in to the local scene in general. 

Plus if rates drop, then it just creates a potential buying frenzy, thus raising prices and the payments don't change much.

deep down, what I like about it is the cost is higher, hopefully there are less people there who have zero money and are like the peddlars at the street lights trying to raise a $500 EMD money to wholesale a property they have never seen 2000 miles away. 

I am actually born and raised in DSM, and currently own and manage just over 200 units throughout the city.

I am investing about 50k which is 3.3% stake out of 1.58mm capital being raised for the deal. 

One year later, still no permits, and just raised the price of our home by 20%!

Getting them to raise their credit card limits to attend their seminars, purchase their CD's, and go on their bus tours. 

Over the year, I fixed some items up and raised rents as 3 out of 4 units were under market.

Then let the long term tenants know that you will be raising the rent.  

I did not raise the rent last year however we did think about putting the house on the market because there are not many houses on the market for sale and house prices in this area are significantly increased.