Philly is a great market for house hacking due to its affordable entry points, strong rental demand, and value-add potential.

Build a strong local team in each market, including real estate agents, property management professionals, contractors, and lenders.

Rentometer is fair as an aggregate, but often misreads the market in high rental areas or very suburban markets where there aren't a ton of rental options.You should be able to be within $200/month using MLS data which is not all on Zillow because the syndication of rental data is way less than sales data.

This property had strong potential for adding value, especially with its ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) potential.

Owasso is another area to consider, though prices there may be on the upper end of your budget, but the rental demand is strong due to local amenities and a community-focused environment.For a buy-and-hold strategy, these areas tend to offer good rental demand, relatively low vacancy rates, and potential appreciation over time.

With careful research, a strong property manager, and your local partner, you’ll be well-positioned to succeed.

Just a heads up - if you have strong relationships with church leadership and are getting into real estate, the YIGBY movement may be a great place for you to work in. 

I am in Colorado.I see a few interesting investments, that on paper in a spreadsheet, look to be worth a closer look -->  in St Louis, MO.I'd like a strong referral to a respected agent who is open to talking with me about their availability to work with me.Thank you in advance!

It sounds like you’re building a strong foundation to not only find promising deals but also make confident, informed decisions along the way.We’re thrilled to have you as part of the community and can’t wait to see the projects you take on.

Cleveland offers strong rental yields, so you might want to look into multi-family properties.Wishing you all the best.