And I wish you all continuous success in the Real Estate business. 

Is it still possible to snag a reasonably successful house hack in these areas?

I want a successful, long-term operator. 

When tenants aren’t able to achieve long-term success, they’re more likely to move out in search of a more favorable location. 

So, good for you on that, I think that's the best path to success in a field that is generally frowned upon.

Quote from @James Kiny: We are a welcoming group of investors -seasoned and prospective - looking to share ideas, talk over problems and celebrate successes of our group members.

Occupied Foreclosure Strategy: Some investors in NYC find success with a “cash for keys” approach.

Obviously, the rules will differ from state to state.The most successful buyers have trusted bidders with cashier’s checks in multiple denominations (for cash sales) and the actual buyers have field runners and people to monitor multiple prospective properties at a given time and check sales status for postponements due to BK, etc.This is the case in larger metro markets where many properties could go to sale but few do so.There are often better ways to acquire properties then auctions.

I've seen some folks buy storage deals at valautions that are going to make success tough for them.  

Cheering for your success!