It's true that you make more money in the long run with appreciation compared to cash flow.

this is why one needs to really research easements affecting their properties prior to purchase. 

Also, price-wise, a 4 or 4+ unit property in Killeen appears to be less expensive than a comparable one in DFW.

We had to evict one and the second didn't pay rent for a year.I switched over to GK Houses which is now Evernest and compared to Zeker, the experience has been quite positive so far.

The second habit that has helped me track my finances is that I’ve created a personal spreadsheet that I fill out at least once a month that tracks certain financial metrics I’m interested in comparing.

Nine  states are COMMUNITY PROPERTY STATES, where all property accumulated during the marriage, OR the INCREASE in value of existing separate property (property accumulated prior to the marriage), is considered community property which can only be divided 50/50, UNLESS the division is made to offset some other imbalance .  

I have done this few times and then compared the sold price to my numbers.

Quote from @Zachary Deal: A lot of investors utilize the BRRRR strategy in those markets as there is relatively high rents compared to the value of the properties!  

Create a simple spreadsheet or written list to compare the features of each and identify the ones that align with your requirements.

Your construction background and being local to Columbus are huge advantages—they’ll definitely give you an edge in finding properties and keeping rehab costs down compared to others.I’d suggest exploring parts of the city you’re less familiar with.