Of these properties do they have parking and how close to public transportation are they? 

Look into neighborhoods like Clark Fulton, Jefferson, West Park and Boulevard, Brooklyn Center, Old Brooklyn, and Newburgh Heights. 

We also have some mobile home parks that we are selling and we have some luxury short term rentals.

And if anyone knows has experience with Rise Capital Group or Sunrise (now offering mobile home park/parking lots).

See below screenshots/map area.I did a similar strategy when bought a 4 unit in Rogers Park to help myself create high cashflow. 

For those with the $ to deploy and park funds, I wouldn't waste time with housing and it's myriad of headaches, I'd go for the land. 

And the self-showings, Zillow just did the biggest beta test of this, and it failed epically. unless loosing tens of millions is the goal, if that's the goal than they hit it out of the park. 

Larger families, remote workers, or investors could see it as ideal, especially if local schools or amenities like parks, dining, or entertainment are strong.

Even without a budget for repairs/etc - let's just define "cashflow" as income left over after PITI & utilities for a moment - Mac Groveland and Highland Park are going to be tough.

At the time I looked, 20 or so years ago, the problem with smaller down towns is the proliferation of nearby strip malls, where the stores are surrounded by a large parking lots, and for laundromats, attract more customers as they can park easily, walk to adjacent stores for shopping, snacks, and browse newspaper and magazine racks, which explains why they do better, there's more customers.