Maybe I had grown a little more sophisticated financially since I first heard of the game, but I found the "lessons" to be learned from playing rather obvious.

RESPA on a primary residence, consumer loan, so we only lend to investors on investment property-Therefore, if an individual owns his house free and clear worth $500K and it is his primary and he has bad credit and cannot get a loan from the bank, and he is a sophisticated business man, and he wants to borrow just $50,000.00- we cannot lend to him because of the Dodd/Frank act.

Don't worry, the fake wood paneling will scream sophistication.

Obviously, the Housing Authority is a bit more sophisticated than the typical tenant.I simply am at the property that has a "For Rent" sign out front, with a phone number on it that rings to my phone, and I have the keys to let them in.

(those programs are so sophisticated, it'd drive me crazy!)

Of course not every builder understands design or knows what they want; and may rely on an architect more, but it's still the builders project.An architects design should be determined by the client, not vice versa, and I think that's where all the problems between builders/architects come in, it's each persons perception.

What is the perception of the place from people who might want to move there?

While many will say wholesaling is the easiest way to get involved in real estate investing keep in mind that it takes a pretty high level of sophistication in deal analysis and negotiation and a seller who is willing to unload a property at a very deep discount.  

Hedge funds and other sophisticated investors are snapping up property in my city that you'd probably also call a sh*thole, they must know something you don't.

You're probably not going to find an appraisal program that is this sophisticated.