It got me to a point where I can afford to live a little but also be relaxed.

Identifying those opportunities can lead to solid investments.Demand for Affordable Housing: The points you made about the demand for older, well-maintained properties in desirable locations are crucial.

They are also elderly with visible health issues and I'm terrified if we were to purchase the home and it would result in an eviction.

Chances are they have to rent elsewhere and can't afford two monthly rent bills.  

It is all about short stay for business, professional and health care stays.Also, make sure you have a real live lease for any stay over 30 days.

This is for all the 'co-own curious' folks out there.I recently started a project aimed at making it easier and more affordable for people to co-own (and manage) homes together. 

When I met her, she was working full-time at Walmart to make ends meet, and she had severe health issues from the stress.

@Genesis DuncanIowa, the Quad Cities region, Cleveland, Akron, and Dayton are all affordable markets with diverse economies and strong rental demand.

After the 2006 crash, I don’t think you can get interesting options like this anymore but I credit this (along with not spending above what I could actually afford) getting me into real estate and building equity.  

I'm curious on why you wouldn't be able to afford a multi family property.