If this is financing for a stabilized property rate carries more importance but rate combined with origination fees, pre-payment penalty and term in which you intend on keeping the loan in place are all considerations which together should help in deciding the best financing option.

However, it’s important to ensure the area is safe. in those areas I would recommend checking local crime statistics on SpotCrime. you can use this link for an example,to get detailed information: https://spotcrime.com/map?

There is a quirk this year, and an important one.

Most importantly please be sure to keep money in reserve.

Knowing the three cities mentioned is important for grading the neighborhoods and can vary street by street. 

When you do move in, it will be important to separate out direct and indirect expenses.

If you decide on DSCR loan I don't think local is as important.

@Radhika S.From my experience, when investing in real estate, it's important to focus on factors like cash flow, market trends, and job growth while considering landlord-friendly laws.

Equity and cash flow are equally important when deciding whether to pull money out.If you can put the equity to work by adding another property while still having a nice cushion on your cash flow, then I would say definitely yes.  

This helps you identify which factors drive the best returns and make confident, informed decisions.It’s also important to test your numbers with scenarios like higher vacancies, unexpected expenses, interest rate changes, or rent adjustments over the years.