Raleigh is only among the 10 cities in population growth.2)Keeping property updated and properly maintained.So, I think, as long as rental properties aren't one's main source of income, then you can build solid wealth over long term even if the properties break-even on cash flow today.I remember when GOOG bought YOUTUBE for $1.65 billion.  

There are a billion different management companies up and down the OBX and each have their specialty areas.I've been vacationing at the OBX since I was a toddler (in my 30's now) staying everywhere from Buxton to Corolla.

The trouble is that places you in the same boat as a billion other people.

Please don't listen to someone who only has perhaps one rental property there, and hasn't been there long enough to really see the good, bad and the ugly.If you want to invest in Detroit, do it in Downtown on the Waterfront and pay millions if not billions of dollars for the chance to do so.

Hell, major Chinese investors are helping fund the SW Waterfront revitalization project which includes billions of investment dollars. 

Industries like biotech, medtech, and pharmaceutical research will set up in and around Baltimore due to proximity to both JHU, UMD and the National Institute of Health, which has a $30 billion budget, majority of which is distributed as research/project grants. 

The city and county will challenge the order, which also calls for the city to put $1 billion into an escrow account.

The investor backers with the family offices are ultra high net worth ( hundreds of millions to billions in wealth ).When you have that kind of money you do need to squeeze immediate return.

A previous tenant, that was asset manager for a multi billion REIT, said that there are two types of asset manager, one like her that crunches numbers well, schedules, coordinates, constantly evaluates expenses, etc AND the other type, like me, that does much less of that desk work but is great with clients and field work, understanding maintenance, meeting with and negotiating with contractors, etcAll the fields you and the other posters mentioned have great potential for being springboards for successful REI career, IMHO, what really matters is that you are ok with doing the job you choose for many hours over many years and have a positive mental attitude while doing it.

Billions in commitments from Freeport LNG, DOW, BASF, more, and Port of Freeport.