@Chris Talley depending on where in the flood zone it is, and if there is elevation already, you can also get a survey (I believe it is a survey, I forget 100% but my sister looked into it) that allows you to be out of the plane during the 100 year but maybe not the 500 year.

My understanding is a 401K, as @Dmitriy Fomichenko mentions, is a far superior for retirement planing in general and for real estate investing.  

There is a lot that can be done on-line and via FedEx/UPS so you really don't need (and probably shouldn't need) a lawyer or law office close to where you live.

Smart people like Ben Mallah will rent out a private plane for a thousand dollars for a real estate deal, not spending $50M as a tax move. 

Find the city within two hours from where you live and look for land no more than 10,000 and acre on the city sewer water electric not in a flood plane..

I personally live just a little over 2.5 miles from the FedEx forum and within that distance, you will find $1,000,000+ homes and other homes that cannot be hardly given away at the tax sales. 

I'm lucky to have made some good money at my last startup, so I'm hoping to parlay that into a real estate business and avoid the city lifestyle.When I'm not working, I enjoy riding my horse, flying planes and working on my house.

cancel her plane ticket until funded.

I think your best bet is to get on the phone with someone from each place as well as get on a plane and visit.

Harrisburg is too far for me to be interested in the drive out there, but too short to make it worth hopping in my plane for the flight.