Outer lying cities may have fewer renters, but cheaper in cities options are often in undesirable areas.

Hotels closed, operated at limited capacity or became undesirable due to people wanting to avoid close contact.

Will pay tax rather than buy something undesirable.

Just like over in Europe, furnished rentals will be normal.I specialize in +30 day furnished rentals because they are just as profitable as traditional Airbnbs but they have the added benefits of requiring less time to manage, less chance of parties/undesirable stuff, and they are typically not regulated by city laws.Essential Workers and Digital Nomads love extended stay rentals.

The posting investor mentioned the part of town for the second property as undesirable and your comments on appreciation speculation based on the reality of the area is important to consider.  

Checkbook control is the common solution for situations in which that impact is undesirable.

How undesirable is that really from a 1.

Those are solid picks.In this market, potentially looking at the peripheral markets that haven't appreciated as much but still are in proximity to the main market areas are worth taking a look at.

These typically spark other peripheral inquiries that tend to help better inform how we structure the deal. 

Before the moral revolutions of the late 1800's/early 1900's, virtually every city had a "red-light district" where all the undesirable stuff went - gambling, prostitution, homelessness, etc.