I won't hold on to a property that I wouldn't consider living in myself (maybe at a different time in my life than now) or allow my 21 year old daughter to live in.I'm not a fan of the 2% rule anymore in Indianapolis as it usually puts you in C- or worse areas, but I do like nice homes that come in around 1.25%.

***Only exception is if an owner has plan & funds to reposition Class D to Class C or higher.https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/776/topics/960183-what-they-dont-tell-you-about-cheap-rental-properties?

It's not that I would bet on appreciation but would worry about a major employer shutting doors leaving a large population unable to pay rent or forced to relocate.

I would love to do a five year tour of the US doing live in flips but in C- or D neighborhoods. 

That being said, there are areas with 2-4 unit buildings that are C or higher grade. 

My local portfolio lender lends at 95% LTV on owner occupied COR. 

However, we are now on plan C or plan D still making money with the property.

Investing into real-estate  requires taking risk , Lots of conservative  folks is too much for them  to bet on a house or duplex  to make money after paying the bills .Lots of nay sayers talk about bad tenants ,yes they happen do your back ground checks ,and a good location  keeps it at a low level .Not sure about Topeka but Lawrence ,metro  KC is humming along with prices keep going up for me SFH   .

Hopefully the way ahead becomes clearer into 2021, but my strategy is not changing: buy cash-flowing SFH's in C or better neighborhoods and keep a healthy amount of cash in reserves.  

If you have a pot of money, but no job, why would take some of that pot and place a bet on something in hopes that you would make more when the downside of losing that money, with no job, is disastrous.