Spanaway, DuPont, and Yelm are areas I'd consider if you want to attract those working in Tacoma/Olympia and living further out as well.The new fast ferry from Bremerton and Kingston is making the peninsula a more viable option.

A steady annual growth rate, diverse industries, and affordable living attract residents.

A $200,000 duplex might have identical rents in municipality “A” and municipality “B” but the property tax rates will vary, local regulations will dictate licensing requirements, labor rates will vary & the particular location will dictate insurance premiums since insurance carriers will weigh local replacement costs and whether the municipality is viewed as being a “plaintiff friendly” in arriving at insurance premiums.Better situated assets will attract better tenants.

A good property manager can guide you in selecting properties that will attract a tenant segment with a high concentration of reliable people.Access to cost-effective resources for renovation and repairs.Lease terms enforcement.

Could there be something I’m not aware of that’s keeping other buyers away despite the attractive pricing?

All said, drop the rate to market or slightly below (if you're in a tougher market) to attract a quality tenant, then pursue the refinance or sale as some have suggested already.

With platforms like Airbnb or Hipcamp, you can attract travelers looking for unique stays.

And a lot of start-up companies are migrating to this city as well because of the OSU campus that has thousands of talented students graduating and looking for positions locally.Everything that’s going on here in Columbus is attracting investors and other businesses from all over.

But we also added lease options to our model which attracted a better tenant and lessened the the amount of work that it took to manage the lease option properties.So I would encourage you consider investing in your own back yard before going out of state, especially if you live in North Carolina. 

FULL STOP  Your ability to make such a profit will depend on your ability to manage the asset better than the prior owner.As a seller, the broker should be helping you determine the price point, at that time, that attracts enough buyers to achieve an optimal sales price.