Parsons has the benefit of Childrens Hospital anchoring one end as well as Schumacher Place/German Village bordering the west.

Deal Facts- Built 1928- Duplex- 1429sqft, 954sqft downstairs, 475sqft upstairs- Split garages- Working class neighborhood, C+ or B-- Suburb bordering Detroit, near the GM Tech Center and Chrysler Motor PlantsPurchase Price: $105,000Down Payment: $5,250Financing: 5% Conventional Bank LoanRehab Costs: $7000 (after I owned it for 1+yrs)Closing Costs: ~$3000All In: $115,000Market Rent when Purchased: $1,370Cash out of my Pocket: ~$15,250PITI: $914/mThe strategy is simple...Buy multi family > Rent unit 1 LONG TERM > Rent unit 2 SHORT TERM > PROFITIt's not a big secret or difficult process, but it does take some level of risk. 

Out of the three Solano County cities you mentioned - Vallejo, Fairfield, or Benicia - my gut feel is that Vallejo will cash flow best. but a a cost due to the challenges of crime & the economy there.In general, the safest & nicest area of Vallejo is known as "Glen Cove" - if you look at google map, it is bordered on the North by 780, on the West by 80, on the East by Benicia State Park, and on the South by the Carquinez Strait.

I live in Massachusetts so I don't know RI to well but have recently started working along the MA/RI border.  

YoungREI:Zillow can be spot on in some areas - inconsistent bordering on useless in others.

It borders many different areas.

Are people prepared to pay higher taxes for a more secure border or more aggressive immigration enforcement?

Miami has very strong bordering of its neighborhoods.

Hop over the border to Indiana.

It has a city across the border of 1 million people.