KC has clay soil which causes problems when it drys out because it shrinks away from the foundation walls.

Let me know if you flip any properties that could be good buy and hold opportunities.reno is on a small climb as of the 1st qtr of the year. inventory has been shrinking. still lots of vacant homes around town during my drives. read a recent article over on bankrate.com that reno was one of the five best markets. i'll let you know when my next project is ready. link below:http://www.bankrate.com/finance/real-estate/home-values-best-markets.aspx?

So, doing nothing is not a terrible option, but not a great oneIf you look at what you have, if you take out a 50% loan, I estimate your cash flow would shrink to $200/mo.

Once you begin to factor in unknowns that tend to pop up in fix and flips margins start to shrink and with your amount of projected profit you run the risk of making nothing and or potentially loosing money. 

And you are doing it in a time where the economy might be shrinking. 

I understand that in general I should be looking for trends in employment, what sector is driving the market, where the good schools are, where population is growing or shrinking, how a neighborhood is trending, crime rates, etc.

Don't get me wrong, there are many still funding but that pool is shrinking every day with lenders hiking up the pricing and restricting the LTVs. 

It makes more government borrowing very painful - I doubt we will hear about another massive stimulus injection, and the Federal Deficit is actually shrinking in 2022, compared to 2021 (after adjusting for COVID relief craziness). 

I don't have knowledge of their decision, but I would make the assumption that it was due in large part because of shrinking inventory.

If the population is shrinking than vacancy rates can get pretty high.