Offer transportation free from commute area to where he works where housing is cheaper.

Offer to pay to have movers transport the "valuables" to a storage unit and pay the first few months so the seller can have time to sort through it.

If you do indeed end up closing on the property, you're going to have a couple of years of working your a$$ off to make extra money and not spending on anything that is not food, housing, or transportation.

If yes, what are some quality neighborhoods (low crime rate, higher avg. house hold income, proximity to public transport etc.) you recommend investigating?

Investments in mixed-use development, office buildings, and residential areas have attracted more residents and businesses, positively impacting the real estate market.Strategic Location and Infrastructure:The strategic location of the Lehigh Valley, bolstered by infrastructure like the Lehigh Valley International Airport, makes it a hub for transportation and logistics.

@Kyler J Sloan also if you buy use your will prob have to transport it which is not that easy with hot tubs. 

., 529, spousal IRA, transportation, healthcare FSA, childcare, etc.

When world events begin driving the cost of oil up, it has a devastating effect on our economy, driving up the costs of everything transported or manufactured, and it will hurt every sector of the economy.

Northern cities like Cleveland that heavily relied on its geographic location for transporting goods are relatively flatlining in terms of population growth, while Texas, Florida, Arizona, and others are booming.The bottom line is that while real estate on a whole will follow inflation rates, individual properties can significantly underperform or outperform the average inflation rate. 

@Erin Estes you have good ideals but if you applied your logic to other commodities then the residents of AZ will not be getting too far without the transportation fuels shipped from other states.