(rent rate set at 30% of gross income average)Now after putting the time into the spreadsheet I can see both cities are almost neck and neck. 

South Carolina is a great neck of woods! 

I don't know how much more rehab I have left in my knees and my husband in his neck on top of our day job which is also very physical.

Appraisers can be held liable from what I understand for inaccurate appraisals, so they want the deal to work, but don't want to stick their neck out.  

I don't know your area but those numbers are killer and may be the norm for you guys (you'd be working extra hard to get a 1% deal in my neck of the woods).Can you get an experienced partner to do this deal with?

And, when it comes to the performance of Mexican real estate investments, the facts and figures d speak loud and clear: there’s been absolutely no correlation whatsoever between the neck business and the performance of real estate investments in the country.

Maybe not the same in your neck of the woods but as far as my municipality is concerned, they are one in the same, and it is low voltage. 

By all means use alternative methods to get leads: direct mail, bandit signs, networking with REO brokers in your area, RE meetup groups where you can network with other investors, and of course Bigger Pocket forums in which you can find fellow investors in your neck of the woods that can be a great resource for you.  

@Brian Gibbons yes we all need a check up from the neck up every so often.

@Melvin List is in your neck of the woods, might as well give him a call.