., if you know the market, the culture, the laws, etc. 

In the end you'll have a repositioned building with a new culture.

But, the culture used to be, anyway, such that you could just go ask what is required, let someone know you're having trouble with a contractor and ask for advice. 

Jay points out later he thinks this is more of a regional/cultural issue and maybe that's the fact - I dunno - but it still seems to me most people do not want to up and leave on a monthly basis and will most always stay at least a year.

Sure it was done on the backs of hard work like getting it physically built and the profit from each beer sold, but emotionally it was done by taking a bunch of expats from different cultures and language backgrounds and putting them in one spot with one common goal, feeling accepted for who they each were as individuals.

Anywhere outside of the obvious high demand areas like SF Bay Area and LA, you really need to understand the employment situation, the culture, potential problems (like freeways that are possibly targeted to bypass towns that may no longer be good investments), etc.Unless you can afford to make a profit in the major job areas, then you really need to know/do your homework on the potential to make money in a way or to a different market than you're used to. 

Hey yal, I'm a newbie investor looking to invest in Michigan and I am looking for referrals for a Real Estate lawyer who is in tune with the REI culture.

I also feel it is important to add that all of these communities have created grassroots organizations to "manage gentrification" in order to prevent the cultural histories from being erased.

We have world class universities and medical facilities, along with every type of amusement, recreation, cultural and natural resource imaginable.

Talk about culture shock, LOL....You're not that far away from Oz, why not go there and see how life might be?