As active realtor, and investor I get a lot of people approaching me who want to invest. 

That’s something I’m actively exploring—whether it’s through direct-to-seller marketing, networking with local wholesalers, or even tapping into connections through my brother-in-law, who works with builders and contractors in the area.I’m not expecting slam-dunk deals or easy wins, but the numbers on a few potential projects I’ve run so far seem to work under the assumption that I’ll leave some cash in the deals.

In these markets, I would be worried about crime, activity of illegal immigrants, and such. 

Low insurance" is concerning to me, as Athens gets a LOT of high wind / weather / tornado activity for unknown reasons - they just got hit again last weekend. 

Visit with people there and you'll get a more detailed look at things from people actively working in the areas.

It's tough to give a definitive answer without knowing your specific investment goals (cash flow, appreciation, etc.) and preferred strategies (BRRRR, wholesaling, etc.).However, since I'm a Cleveland native and active in the real estate market here, I can offer some insights on why Cleveland could be a good fit:Affordability: Compared to many other major metros, Cleveland offers a relatively low barrier to entry.

This may be why many of you are experiencing delays in redemptions and distributions.In the fund which I co-manage, we've stopped foreclosure activity on many of the non-performing assets since it doesn't make sense to pay our legal resources for activities that are in moratorium.

I'm originally from BR and am fairly active there. we see a lot of inventory so also happy to chat offline about this

Pairing that with relationship-building will help you uncover off-market opportunities and find local experts who can guide you.For meetups, here are a few ideas:Indianapolis Real Estate Investors Association (Indy REIA): They have a mix of virtual and in-person events and are a good starting point for networking with other investors in the Indy market.Louisville Real Estate Investors Group (REIG): A similar organization for the Louisville market, with educational and networking opportunities.Check out BiggerPockets Meetups: Many cities have local meetups organized by investors active on BiggerPockets, and they often include virtual options.Facebook Groups: Look for local investing groups like "Indianapolis Real Estate Investors" or "Louisville REI."

There are approximately 28 Multi-family duplexes active on the MLS ranging in prices as low as $50,000-$219,000 with a median rent of about $929.