Thanks everyone,   First of all, you should get advice from a cross-border legal and/or tax accounting specialist, not taking advice as gospel on a real estate forum. 

The municipalities in Genesee County that border Oakland and Livingston are very affluent.  

I'm not an attorney or accountant so you both should talk to cross-border ones to make sure you each do what is best for your specific situation. 

Always have to give the disclaimer..I'm not a tax accountant, or cross border specialist and really you should regardless sit down with one and go over your particular scenario.I can only speak from my experience as a Canadian buying in the United States.

You may want to invest outside of the city borders.

If you were on the border with carpet replacement before they moved in though you could consider accelerating the replacement.

Thanks for all the feedback - @Christopher Salazar, I would be interested in any deals that you have in the SFR or small MFR arenas, especially on the Iowa side of the border!

The areas that borders Ferndale.

I've been looking at the closest cities south of the border for investment opportunities.

- plus more if "wetland testing" is required (apparently the back of the lot borders a tiny strip labelled wetland on the GIS map) .