Good neighborhoods, excellent schools, and literally--where does the house I want sit in the actual neighborhood...I say does it look like a $650K house area when I'm done?

Is the inventory piling up or selling in the neighborhood.

I don't want to sign an agreement with any one agent because I would be looking for which ever agent could bring me the property fitting my requirements. 

Based on the rents, I would guess the $1350 house is in a C+ or maybe B- area, and the $950 is in a C- area.What neighborhoods or zip codes are these in?

But if your budget is tight or your home only needs minor updates, your real estate agent can help you think outside of the box by suggesting simple DIY staging tips to help your home look its best.Bottom LineStaging your house properly can make it much more attractive to buyers, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, and every home shines differently.

But if you’re looking for a more stable, family-friendly environment with lower costs and a focus on LTRs, Texas could be a better fit.Since you have young kids, I’d dig deeper into school districts and neighborhoods in both states—family life can really shape where you’ll feel at home.

He also doesn't control regulations in the states/cities, but his attempts to cut regulations may trickle down and impact personal property rights and people's ability to use their properties as they see fit.

It’s growing steadily and has a mix of properties that fit well into a BRRRR strategy.

Can try to reposition to Class B, but neighborhood may impede these efforts.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, but 15-20% should be used to also cover tenant nonpayment, eviction costs & damages.Tenant Pool: majority will have FICO scores of 560-620 (approaching 22% probability of default), many blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 2 years.

I'd recommend the following:1) Continue to stay at home to save up more2) Buy the crappiest home in a good neighborhood, with financial help (parents?)