We just receive one paycheck with all allowances including food, housing, flight pay, any other incentive pay etc.  

Thanks for the responses @Jeff Kehl @Michael Flight @Joel Owens and @Ronald RohdeAppreciate the additional thoughts/factors to look at regarding VPD numbers Joel.Assuming there isn't someone on the message board who could give me a quick tutorial/instructions on how to find the numbers myself on TXDOT's website, I'll try giving them a call.

Gabriel Rodriguez I invest out-of-state and it’s pretty much like being an absentee owner, just with...more risk :) You don’t intuitively know the right vs. wrong side of the tracks, you can drive by a property on the weekend, you’ll be taking a property managers work (even with documentation) that expenses are necessary, and you’ll pay for a couple of flights a year just to see the places you own.

I would say that urban flight would only work if there are jobs in those mid-western cities with pay enough to cover housing costs at 30-35% of income.

My girlfriend isn't happy living here due to wanting more space, a yard, not having to go up 2 flights of stairs, etc. etc. and wants to buy a "forever" home asap, but is also opened to a house hack situation where we buy a fixer upper.

I usually recommend the two hour rule -- either a two hour drive or a two hour flight. 

And LA is a 4 hour drive (45 minute flight) from LA.  

Las Vegas is a "long drive" from Orange County and Memphis is a decently long flight. 

Yes, proof of concept (POC), and architectural drawings were done due to the airport close by, and flight/height restrictions all approved in 2008.3.

(There is also a back door a half-flight down from the kitchen, but it's far from the driveway and enters into the basement stairs.)There is an extra 12'5" x 6'5" room on the driveway side of the house.