Drive by at night on a Saturday...Neighborhoods can change dramatically even from street to street.

I can't decide whether to continue to try and invest a buy and hold strategy in this market as housing prices have risen and are continuing to rise so dramatically that 2-3bed/2bth condos are impossible to afford and cashflow.

As @Scott Wilcox and @Mike Carino mentioned, you need someone with boots on the ground in Detroit to vet the property because things can change dramatically by block.

Brie-I can see both sides of the argument, but I am surprised how well a good cleaning service can dramatically improve the appearance of a carpet at relatively low cost or labor.

Does your labor rate for skilled workers increase dramatically?

If you do your research and hire a quality PM, your workload will be dramatically reduced, your stress will go down, and your income will increase.

What an investor thinks of as a real "deal" differs dramatically from a normal retail buyer that's just happy to get 5% off of market price.

In reality, offering materials are designed to sell and results can vary dramatically by sponsor and property.LP and GP interests are aligned when the sponsor says so. 

Illinois taxes have risen dramatically and a lot of people rushing my way (Indiana, 30 min south of Chicago) It sounds like there's a lot of legalities and it's a long shot getting these homes if there's no estate and on the last 2, I don't believe there is. 

Changing realtors might help you, having a good one in your team is always a good idea but not necessarily will dramatically increase your odds of finding a gem in the MLS.