Can anyone shed some light on the area?

Currently, we have an empty basement and shed. 

If the regional list you mentioned above is an indication of where you are looking to invest, I would recommend finding some fellow BP investors or agents in those areas who can shed some light on neighborhoods "on the rise" that may be harder to identify via google.

Have you considered building/modifying a huge code-compliant shed on vacant land instead? 

To shed the problem, you COULD QuitClaim to a member who wants to deal with it.  

@James Hamling I think there’s a book called Willing Accomplaces (circa 1956) that sheds more light.

Does anyone do these or know about them and can shed some light ?

Would definitely love to learn more about this process, if anyone could shed some light on it.

Because I also hold a Broker's license in Ohio, I cannot legally comment on what specific neighborhoods are good vs. bad, but my husband @Darrin Carey should be able to shed some light on that part. 

I paid for and did labor to tear down a rotting shed, install an interior stairway handrail, and cleaned up around a leaking chimney flue cap.