On the positive side, I know JBER is definitely growing, or anticipated to grow over the next few years, a lot of military families are getting redirected up here from other duty locations, and it was a very "strategic" topic during the SecDef's senate armed service's confirmation hearing. 

You can't buy in just any area there, it needs to be a little more strategic, but you can buy there and it make sense.

I'll spend time looking up the owners, see if they own other stuff and if a larger package deal is available and try to strategize a way to make that happen. 

A real professional with a strategic approach can really add value.For the most part, the options you will have to invest with an employer plan and a smaller initial Roth IRA will be pretty limited.

It's also important to keep in mind that house flipping is a long-term investment strategy and will require patience, consistent work, and strategic decision-making.

Buy the right deals, maintain a 6-7 month cash reserve as possible and form strategic partnerships to increase your buying power.

Back then, the term used to represent this phenomenon was 'strategic default.' 

I would probably stay away... unless you can afford to buy up the whole block.There are some groups that are tackling these areas in clusters and turning "ghost towns" into viable areas by strategically bringing the entire area up at the same time through synergistic efforts of multiple investors.

Strategically, depending on what you can qualify for, you could buy one or more single families in a Lansdowne type area (others are Collingdale, Upper Darby, Sharon Hill, Glenolden), then take the cashflow from those to help pay for something a little more desirable for you to live in.

One can sell in pieces strategically.