So my personal starting point is a 2 to 3 bedroom, slightly dated, brick or block home, with a garage that is near transport corridors. 

Shipping and receiving, transportation, warehousing, all of that should do well. 

For a personal multifamily residence, I prefer a neighborhood that has public transport connections into Downtown Portland. 

For a personal multifamily residence, I prefer a neighborhood that has public transport connections into Downtown Portland.

Transportation costs are the same thing as housing costs.

The other benefit of Chicago to an out of state investor is the same benefit Chicago has had since it was first settled- It's a transportation hub.  1st it was the lake, then the trains, now it's the airports.

Thankfully he has been very good about sanitizing and letting us know if he has at all had possible interaction with someone who was transported due to COVID-19. 

There is a lot to love about the transportation and state government infrastructure.

In the spirit of friendly helpfulness of our community, I'll share some general tips that may help:1) Look for a city with a variety of economic pluses including: a diverse employer based (i.e. no one or two major industries dominate the market), a desirable climate, easy access to nationwide transportation (airports, interstate highways), low overall crime rate, growing demographic of younger families and singles.2) Find off market deals. 

Proximity to colleges and public transportation is vital for the room rental model from what I found.