I run a real estate data venture that pulls from various private and public sources and curates these reports, so it's not a simple answer.Social Sentiment: Search demand and what people are saying online.Neighborhood Class: Cleanliness, crime, graffiti, and overall health.Demographics: Identify market segments & trends.GDP & Economic Growth: County-level GDP changes to assess economic vitality.Poverty Metrics: Analyze economic challenges.Construction Activity: Easily predict market supply.Occupational Diversity: Forecast housing & commercial needs.Education Insights: Understand community stability.Real Estate Trends: Identify property value & rental cycles.Houston was just a place where I felt like sharing some knowledge.

The low price tag is so tempting, but they just don't appreciate like SFHs, HOA and assessments are frustrating, and loan options are limited depending on the building's owner occupant vs renter population. 

First, assessing if you can cover losses in the short term is crucial.

@Chris Seveney Thanks, that’s helpful and helps me assess my situation a little better.

Your assessment is accurate.  

Buy a townhouse in this development near where I live called Sea Colony:Details: $860k for a comfortable townhouse.Pros:Comfortable place to live for the next few years, and I’d still have liquidity to invest elsewhere.It is still in my current community where all of my friends live, so I would still be where I want to be location-wise.Will get appreciation.Cons:High HOA fees ($660/month) and potential 10k special assessment in the next few years.Likely won’t cash flow after we move, so unsure whether it would make sense to hold.3.

I don’t know the condition of the property nor how to properly assess it considering my lack of experience – who would I approach due diligence?

Lastly, try to regularly assess and adjust your goals as your financial situation and priorities evolve, which will help keep things balanced and flexible.Keep learning and growing!

They can help you assess whether you have a strong case for legal action and advise on the best course of action.5.

but you might inherit a special assessment for the balance.