True, but (a) they were typically experienced investors, and (b) today's market includes record prices and high mortgage rates, which is a double whammy. 

In Philadelphia the fundamentals are strong: leading industries/employers are in the Education and Medical fields which are known to be stable, proximity to NYC and DC, national airport, port city, affordability compared to mid-atlantic predecessors.

It sounds like current challenges are:* how you currently feel today about maintaining property* how you currently feel today about that particular house that you lived in and made niceIt also sounds like there are a few logistical/ timing/financial challenges such as:* the logistics of a 1031 etc.* logistics of maintaining out-of-state property and tenants* having time to research enough about this while moving across the country to be confident in your decisions and planning* having time to research other opportunities, what could be done with the money if you soldReason I bring up the emotional stuff because yeah property is a hassle, but there may be another vision that lets you get everything or most of what you want, with a little bit less hassle, or hassle in a way that bothers you less.

For networking and education, I recommend checking out CIREIA (Central Indiana Real Estate Investors Association).

Over the decades, today's interest rates are historically pretty typical.

With your balance sheet and cash, you can put together creative deals without giving up equity and without using your cash but you are going to need to find a market and product which has 7-8% cap rates.I invest in the northeast, Great Lakes area.Diverse economies with education, healthcare as the back bone and tech as growth.In your area, you’ll have to raise way more capital in the form of equity just to meet DSCR with the banks.

You need to know this and best way is to educate yourself.3.

Today, for example, I had to leave work to run a toilet to my plumber because when he took off the old one, someone had done a hack job on the remodel plumbing and damaged the flange and we actually needed a smaller toilet than was on it (10" instead of a 12").

Today I'd say buy a condo in DC for a discount, tomorrow that advice may be different. 

Today poor means negative cash flow.