Learn how to manage your money, get a second or third job, pick yourself up by your bootstraps and if you want the priviledge to own your own home the do it the right way.However, the government, banks, etc.. will need to deploy their money and If the present environment becomes too restrictive, they will need to start lending again.My little house in a community in San Diego, lower middle class 1040 sq ft.  

Since you are looking at investment properties and not personal, you are working in a more conventional environment.

You might have better luck with asking an experienced agent to mentor you or external learning environments such as meetups, classes and even YouTube.

It's kind of a neat environment, like a co-op apartment complex, depending on the other owners and their goals. 

Thoughts on the environment? 

Faced with this challenging environment to kick things off, what would you do?

look on airdna for rental data, just be aware the explosion of hosts has created a glut, and low prices in some cities, so it is a very competitive environment. 

Shooting for purchasing in August.VALUE-ADD: I am motivated and capable, and have experience property managing in a working class, urban environment.

I haven't researched Victoria or Chase City at all so I can't speak to those.I am in the MBA at VCU and we just had a class on the economic environment in small towns across Virginia (South Boston and Emporia specifically were mentioned) having a terrible effect on the housing demand in those areas. 

A private money or pure asset based hard money lender may be a better option since they aren't bound by the same regulatory environment as a bank.