If I could, I'd bail on LA for your neck of the woods in a heartbeat!

It's just such a pain in the neck when the CC gets compromised and I have to get a new one, so ... anyone ... anyone ...

I'm from Chattanooga TN, but recently moved to the Muscle Shoals area of Alabama.First taste of REI was actually from Lance Edwards dollar book for kindle called "Big Money in Small Apartments".I had a book by Scott Trench called "Set For Life" recommended by a friend in the very beginning which opened the Rabbit Hole I've now fallen into.Currently I'm reading Richest Man In Babylon, Common Sense Investing, and Bigger Pockets Beginners Guide to REI.Great stuff, really excited to hear from people in here and hope to make some solid connections.I have made the noob mistake of talking to Realtors rather than sellers about houses, not knowing what I was doing, but those mistakes have led me to where I am today: checking out my first home, as a future investment.

The paths I could see as useful at this point would be (but not limited to):- Sell your current home and purchase a home that performs excellently as an investment, and then add value to that one (getting your rehab muscle working AND simplifying the funding.- Keep your current home and pull capital out of it through a HELOC. 

Thinking on my second property to but feeling a voice on my neck saying "deals will be coming soon".

An investor who isn't over-leveraged and only buys immediate value buys, is most likely able to sustain, but someone who is over extended, really sticking their neck out there, is in trouble in any market, in my opinion.  

Incidentally the turnkey company Im working with has properties out their in your neck of the woods, and OH.

@Jay JiI am around that neck of the woods.

Most likely where the neck attaches to the drop elbow.

Let's be honest, there will not be a shortage of those jobs in the near future.I wouldn't completely discount purchasing a rental with rates so low, but sure, I may reconsider certain neck of the woods if wanting to be conservative.