@George Glessner I have a personal umbrella policy that covers me, my personal residence, my automobiles and my rentals.

@Traci Sherman, the Alabama Abandoned Motor Vehicle Act was originally passed to protect automobile repair shops, but has been expanded so that landlords may also take advantage of it.

It is crucial to only invest in markets with a diverse economy (you don’t want to invest in a market like Detroit in the 1970s whose economy was too dependent on the automobile industry).

Automobiles were a new thing, so don't expect a modern 2 car garage.Properties built in the 1960s have machine excavated basements, cinderblock walls and a steel carriage beam.

Detroit in general does not have great walking scores as its the home of the automobile, but brush park is definitely more centralized making the future walking score rise, where Corktown, although a lot going on in the area, doesn't directly neighbour another area, so walking to another area is a bit of a hike currently.

Think, Cities vs suburbia or public transport vs. the automobile.

Parking.During the term of this Lease, Tenant shall have the non-exclusive use in common with Landlord, other tenants of the Building, their guests and invitees, of the non-reserved common automobile parking areas, driveways, and footway s, subject to rules and regulations for the use thereof as prescribed from time to time by Landlord.

There is crime, however the vast majority has to do with vehicles, breaking and entering into a vehicle, theft from an automobile, and hit/runs. 

I'm sure automobile manufacturers have somehow broke the code and are able to lease their vehicles without being liable for any boneheaded stunts the driver pulls, but I'm not so sure that kind of "firewall" can be constructed between a piece of real estate and the owner on title.Interesting thought, however.

I don't know if there is a unified theory as to why Detroit ended up where it is now, but I would say it's a combination of (1) over-reliance on a single industry; (2) some epic battles between that single industry and the union; (3) emergence of the automobile industries in countries like Japan; and (4) terrible race relations.