You have to really know the area because it can change rapidly neighborhood by neighborhood.  

Hi Meghan,   My wife and I live in Coon Rapids, but have 2 rental houses in Duluth that we rent to college students.

I would also recommend the RPOA meetings here in Grand Rapids.

Older properties can be picked up for < 50% of ARV and go up in value in rapid ways with urban renewal efforts … I’ve seen this happen time and time again and so it’s worth saying, diversification is ideal.

Columbus is rapidly growing, with the population, job market, and growing tech scene driving strong rental demand.

I invest in Boise, ID and do quite a few BRRRRs, LTRs and STRs- varying degrees of success depending on how much equity we can force and the type of back end financing we can find, but the tax benefits are great and it's a rapidly growing market and Idaho is probably the most landlord friendly state in the nation. 

A smaller valuation would mean less out of pocket to buy out your siblings and lower taxes, but it would also mean the lot rent is a much higher % of valuation.I can almost guarantee you can find properties in Grand Rapids that cashflow because I've found them all over the Midwest. 

Currently, my number one goal is to scale rapidly.

Long-term buy-and-hold rentals in stable neighborhoods, prioritizing consistent cash flow and responsible management over rapid appreciation.

With the COVID-era surge in home prices, rapid increases in mortgage rates, and rents not keeping pace, it really has gotten harder to make these deals work.