One property we bought had four major roof leaks and blue tarps and cinder blocks on the roof. 

While I don't have 7 years under my belt, I can say the majority of my properties I own/manage have been done in today's higher interest rates and prices. 

Talking with our Realtor who is the owner of the major CRE agency in the area, he recommended don't build. 

Super expensive risks: Catastrophic damage or destruction to the unit.

(Assuming your 70% gives you a voting majority.).

The overwhelming majority of those people are bums that can barely afford a cup of coffee.

At the end of the day, though, real estate involves major financial commitment and/or leverage.

Vacasa and Evolve are two of the major players that could have an opportunity in that area for you to be boots on the ground.

Most aren't willing to do this, so purchasing "quality" backlinks is an option, it works, but it runs a real risk of over the long-term the site going down in rankings if the majority of the backlink profile is built from those types of links.  

I agree that Utica is definitely set for growth with all the major construction projects and plans coming to fruition in the near future Utica will be an excellent place to invest.