I am also long distance and I have a few properties in Buffalo and work with @Matthew Irish-Jones and his team at The Lodge Group. 

I concur with Dan on the blue collar areas being ideal neighborhoods to start, though I'd add that many parts of urban San Diego (including parts of Southcrest, Encanto, and City Heights) are primarily blue collar as well, though with different cultural norms than the L-areas listed above. 

Milwaukee has culture, entertainment, great food, low traffic, two major sports teams (Bucks are best in the league currently),  freshwater, emerging tech startup community, a handful of fortune 500 companies, the DNC in 2020 AND you can buy a house for $100k. 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Glacier-Bay-Shaila-30-5-in-W-Bath-Vanity-in-White-with-Cultured-Marble-Vanity-Top-in-White-with-White-Sink-PPSOFWHT30/205428781

During renovation I would probably knock a wall between bedrooms and turn into one master bedroom with an ensuite.hopefully after resale I would be looking to fetch 180-240k ( irish rural market). wondering how much you would esitmate a renovation on it to cost, baring in mind nothing is probably staying.have you ever done a deal where seller gets a piece of the pie after deal is done instead of paying for the property beforehand, or even as a cherry on top of the cake ?

You can usually get a good feel for their culture.  

@Zilma Yotte-Johnson there’s one on (I think) the first Monday of the month at O Tooles Irish pub in Brandon

The culture, growth and spirit of the city is coming back in full force and I'm so excited to see it happening.

I recommend doing some real research into the atmosphere and culture as well as the numbers before making a firm decision. 

Btw, I don't think it's a culture in AA only.