The property prices are quite affordable compared to places like Minneapolis, so you might find that your cash flow improves significantly.

One thing we do, that I recommend everyone does-- is each year-- improve their place!  

While we really need to improve our search, I was able to find a couple of members you might try reaching out to and learning from. 

You have no ability to make improvements to increase the value (and benefit as the owner); you can't deduct mortgage interest on your taxes as you don't hold the mortgage; and you can't own it while the value rises over time.

Further, while bringing the estate from the brink of bankruptcy to profitability, he invested all cash flow into improving the estate and diverted no funds to increasing his personal wealth.  

The above exercise might give you insight on what you can do to improve. 

Also, I have heard success stories of folks finding good contractors at the home improvement stores early in the AM.

We've been honing in on a pretty good development/investment formula that is working for us where we buy an existing single or multi-family house that can be improved or easily split into smaller units, and then we also add small new construction units to the property (townhomes or duplexes or cottages) and, generally, we rent them all out (though we have sold a couple of single family rehabs and we may sell the units in our next big project...

Properties that need renovations or improvements can be acquired at a discount, and the increased value can offset higher borrowing costs.2.

The key tool to use is to develop a checklist on each location and keep improving on it.