@Barre Gambling I am curious... in your opinion, is our area in central NC underserved outside of the Raleigh-Cary-Durham MSAs?

Trust me, I have been there.I suggest you try to House hack in cities that you are already familiar with and have some connection with.Hire a great investor agent in that market and ask them all your questions and concerns.That I believe is the best way to get personalized advice tailored to your goals and lifestyle.You giving out Cleeveland and Toledo on your post will only attract biased opinions and advise.Only you know what you truly like, want, and can deal with.As Nicolas said, read this post and comments and hope that gives you a new perspective. https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/12/topics/1215726-break...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/963/topics/1195280-expe...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/48/topics/1137397-balti...Goodluck and keep us posted.

My opinion is follow DSCR standards.

My opinion is that an umbrella policy will provide easier and more comprehensive asset protection. 

It looks like I’m going against the grain with out of state flips but still want to understand the full picture.So in your opinion how should I find my rock star contractor?

If that changes in the future, and I really hope it does, I will be the first to publicly alter my opinion and report it out to all of you.

Owner response is the key to "bad" reviews in my opinion.

Here’s our OPINION for the Metro Detroit market (use as a template for your target area!)

I see you invest in other countries so I value your opinion. 

That's my intuition(less friction on the homeowner, they don't have to uproot and find a new place to live), but I'd love other opinions as well.Thanks in advance!