Oregon has very strict land use laws and if the farm lies outside the Urban Growth Boundry, there's no way he'll be allowed to build one duplex, much less six.If he has land, there are many developers or builders who would be willing to work with him to build.

And does this aspect of our society concern you at all?

This is why the census uses metropolitan statistical areas start off at 100K.At 200K these markets have already made the transition and are dealing with urban problems rather than zoning and mindset problems of preserving a small town feel while transitioning into urban density.So "emerging" will look very different in each of these city sizes.  

I'm in an urban area with a decent yard so I wasn't thinking rains and storms.

Key to Urban logging and I spent a decade buying and selling and developing timber land in ORegon.. is the fallers start day break sat. morn.. and finish up last light on Sunday night.can't glue the tree's back up..

I looked for some info on this and found: JOINT STATEMENT OFTHE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENTAND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICEREASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS UNDER THEFAIR HOUSING ACThttps://www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/library/huddojsta...

Flip a few variables for a different personality type (someone wants to walk/bike to work) and I can easily see $1300 in many urban areas. 

Any urban area is going to show up on Trulia as high crime compared to suburban areas where nothing is happening, its all relative.  

And I usually hear from my tenant once or twice a year, because they are always travelling or busy otherwise...BUT you can only get these tenants easily if the property is in a urban core, very close to LOTS of high paying jobs....I am not familiar with your local market, but if it is NOT a big urban core, you are probably going to hard time finding someone willing to pay $5K in rent.....EXPECT long vacancy

.- 3B/1B, 1,080 sq ft- Up-and-coming semi-urban neighborhood with lots of city plans for high-end retail and apartment development about a mile from Notre Dame University.- Taxes: $500/yr- $850/mo = market rent- 10% property management = $1,020 (we currently manage ourselves but plan to hire-out management when we get to about 10 properties - we currently have 2.)- 2% vacancy = $204/yr- Insurance $500/yr- 5% repair budget = $510/yr- Cap ex of $120/mo = $1,440/yr- Mortgage terms: 25% down, 15 years at 5% interest.I tried to be conservative with these numbers and cover our rears.