Tons of old homes that cost less than replacement value.. resales not easy lots of differed maintenance on them etc etc.. 

One of the biggest challenges of investing in Rustbelt cities is knowing where to invest and properly understanding the cooresponding pros & cons.Here's copy & paste advice we share to help to address this challenge:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a Class A property in Class D area, what quality of tenant will you get?

Plus you'll want reserves for maintenance and vacancies.Have you checked what you can actually get approved for?

I made adjustments, and it paid off when I found great tenants for the third-floor unit.Improvements Add Up: From installing a shared washer and dryer to renovating my unit’s kitchen, every improvement added value to the property and increased its appeal.Stay Financially Savvy: Refinancing my mortgage and renting out the garage spaces were big wins that helped offset costs and improve cash flow.Expect the Unexpected: Maintenance surprises (like a flooded toilet or diagnosing strange sewer smells) are part of the journey.

Deduct property-related expenses like mortgage interest, depreciation, and maintenance for tax savings.

Maintenance is another issue.

At least in my area, it's cheaper to own a condo with the HOA dues than it is to pay for all the utilities, snow removal, waste management, maintenance, etc, that goes along with an SFR.

Feel free to use this template:RE: RenewalDear Tenant:With the increased cost of taxes, insurance, maintenance, and other incidentals we are required to increase your monthly rent.

And the condo debacle in FL will be churning for quite a while as these rogue HOAs try to get realistic with deferred maintenance, new requirements, and freedom for people to use as they need to afford them.One thing to consider would be to 1031 all of them in a consolidation exchange. 

As expenses fluctuate (property taxes, insurance, maintenance items, etc), the cash flow will be up and down and unreliable.