Now you will have some roots planted for less than $50. 

The best time to buy real estate (and plant trees) is 20 years ago. 

Nothing crazy because I think you have the right aesthetic for the setting, but maybe some fake plants with colored pebbles, bed scarfs, hand towels etc can go a long way to add some life.

That is a local cement plant issue, not an across the board issue.  

Junked it out, cleaned up landscaping, drywall repair, texture, paint, new interior doors and trim, new waterheater, new floors in kitchen. some new floors, countertops, new roof, painting cabinets.

WE have to keep in mind also that each state is different in how they operate with regard to public records.. out east in the states were folks still need a title abstractor title work is completely different than the west coast were most title plants have been moved off shore..

This "economies of scale" approach could work for you, too.I would also consider the NW Valley, near where TSMC is building its multi-billion-dollar chip plant.

Still, not knowing where you are going is tough.For military folks, eventually they usually decide on a hub where they want to plant roots (usually when kids are closer to school age) and then the hub stays and the party in the military comes back to the hub.You have the VA benefits and they are great.

Intel is a great example, who is building the largest chip manufacturing plant in the US right here, and it will be a $20 billion dollar investment that brings a few new thousand jobs.https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2022/01/21/intel-ohio-building-computer-chip-factories-licking-county-jersey-township/9173472002/ Another example of economic growth is the upcoming Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Inpatient Hospital which is a 1.9million square foot hospital that will bring over 800 new beds and a thousand new jobs. https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/new-osu-hospital-expected-to-transform-health-careHere are a few more recent investments https://www.10tv.com/article/money/business/hydrogen-power-company-hyperion-bringing-700-jobs-to-columbus/530-25907aab-5517-4661-a9f3-d2ed2d5be6b0 https://news.wosu.org/news/2022-02-08/rumpke-to-build-50-million-recycling-facility-in-columbus Check out The Complete Guide to the Columbus, Ohio Real Estate Market which goes through the Columbus, Ohio market in depth and will give you a better scope of where the highest levels of growth are taking place and where to look to invest.  

My SFR is well maintained with all walls intact, newly painted and orange peel textured.