Current HELOC rates are typically 8-10% depending on your credit and lender, though some banks offer promotional rates.

But SFH are already seeing renewals at 2%-4% and release rates up at least 5% YoY...that number is even higher on some luxury ($3k+/m rent) homes as those are harder to find.The rest is entirely speculative.

In Akron, there are 'A' properties in 'D-' neighborhoods (over by the zoo) where builders build affordable housing.

There’s a lot of construction, which could hurt both prices and vacancy rates.

Rate is a function of price.

I wanted to start with a cheaper property I could reasonably afford and also learn from.

You want to have your financial house in order so you know what you CAN afford and what you SHOULD spend.

It's a stalemate due to affordability and either wages or prices give, I would bet the latter. 

Maybe I got lucky because this was a few years ago and with lower prices and lower interest rates, it was easier to do well. 

With 56% appreciation rates in less than 10 years, even the stock market can't beat North Carolina!