So I've seen a variety of answers to this question so I'd like to hear some personal experiences with this one.

You can lock those in with a variety of owner occupant loan products (FHA, VA, USDA, etc) and reap the cash flow for years to come.Central Arkansas (like many mid west or southeast metro areas) has many neighborhoods that have a very high rental to price ratio.

Reading a variety of both real estate and business books has likewise done the same.

If you check Meet-Up there are a variety of groups in the area that you might find valuable.

I am looking for more houses in the 19th Ward.The areas you put give you a big range of prices, and a variety of potential customers.

Not a lot of variety when it comes to restaurants, retail, coffee shops, etc. --- I used to live in Royal Oak (Metro Detroit), it is night and day 2.)

The Solo 401k will provide the most flexibility for a variety of reasons, including the ability to borrow funds from the plan.

Different sets of repairs require different types of labor, but for the most part you’re going to want licensed contractors of some variety.

Meeting other member online in a variety of backgrounds is a great resource.  

You show the property's value through a variety of methods but two of the most common and successful approaches are 1) testimony from a licensed appraiser, or 2) showing that you purchased the property recently in an arms length transaction.