I also wouldn't touch hilltop with a 10' pole. struggled. old homes, over budget renovations, lots of issues. realtors push people here since it's the only place cheap houses close to downtown can be good but homes are 1900-1920.

high interest rates have hurt cash flow and long term rentals are still a great investment... they're just not going to throw off rental income in the first few years of ownership.

You should look at very cheap cost-per-a-door markets like Cleveland and Dayton where you can find stuff $40-60k/door.

Additionally, the price point is still cheap enough to find the 1% rule and positive cash flow and there's amazing appreciation potential.

Dave Ramsey of course believes in having zero debt, but the money you are borrowing was fairly cheap so why not continue to leverage it?

I don't think the future will be kind to the investors who bought cheap houses in a big community of other investors. 

Additionally, the price point is still cheap enough to find the 1% rule and positive cash flow and there's amazing appreciation potential.

Maintenance is one of the biggest challenges, maybe even #1, in the Property Management industry.Seems maintenance is, Never Fast Enough for Tenants, or Cheap Enough for Owners!

I'm throwing this out there wildly only because I am hoping to get into an investment this year and I live near Puyallup.

I was told by a local experienced investor that insurance companies will always go cheap with paying out to contractors in the event a property needs to be rebuilt.