Deals are still cheap ($120k-$180k) and have positive cash flow and lots of appreciation potential.

Bummer. he can sell it no problem just cant get title insurance.. so unless your buying it to flip who cares just buy it and enjoy it.. and during that process just sue for quiet title.. take some money and time but that would clear up the title. there is a very prominent BP member that buys tax sale and other title issue props in SC he gets them so cheap because you cant get title insurance at least at the time he buys them and then just rents them out.. its a winner.. no one will ever come back on him or you ..

No reason to pay off cheap money today. 

Most issues will pop up in the first few months as guests use the place regularly, so have a good relationship with a handyman and maybe throw him some small jobs so that he will be on standby when needed.

The buy in can be very cheap, but you need to know what to do to turn the investment the right way.

I would in a normal course of a rehab replace cast iron lines on the interior of the home and basement if they are accessible and if I already have a plumber there doing work as those are cheap and easy to replace at that time.

I bought my stuff cheap for cash, most over a decade ago.We still find distressed properties and motivated sellers willing to get rid of unwanted properties cheap that we fix up and rent out.I also use cash from my self directed IRA to also buy properties for cheap.

If you walk in and say - this is my 3rd deal, here are the other two flips  I made 6 figures on, I own my own house and have some money to throw in the deal as well… it’s a lot easier. 

The main reason is labor, and the cost to live around this area is not cheap, so skilled labor demands high wages and benefits. 

Diversified economy, loads of tech money, coastal migrants moving in who still think it's relatively cheap.