However, the tech ecosystem and incomes in the area are stronger than ever. 

Austin lacks a good capital infrastructure to support our large and diverse startup ecosystem. 

The book is also very interesting and will give you another look at the credit reporting ecosystem.

There may come a time when being a lone wolf is self-limiting; maybe when you own 50 to 100(or more) buildings, and banks don't like it when you're the only guy at the top of a very broad ecosystem, because if something happens to you, then the lending bank can have a big problem.

I know you said you have family in the Charlotte area, but the Raleigh-Durham area is less than 3 hours down the road, state capital (Raleigh) on NC, has 3 major universities to support the burgeoning population (Duke/UNC/NC State), home to the Research Triangle Park and an extensive tech startup ecosystem. 

I have access to the capital to make a series of acquisitions but want to make sure I have a very strong understanding of the market / ecosystem and have the right partners in place to execute.

My favorite mastermind ecosystem is Entrepreneurs Organization (EO).

My mentor, Brad Sumrok, has created Sumrok University (my name, he calls it the eco-system) where a lot of Sponsors and Passives meet and flourish. 

Another Boston area that is very desirable would be Hyde Park and Roslindale where you're in the city but those areas have their own ecosystems and cultures that makes it very unique.

After training, there is the 'ecosystem' (I like to call it Sumrok University) of students.