Specifically, I would encourage you to continue to seek local opportunities for equity growth as well as seeking out-of-state or upstate opportunities for cash-flow (i.e.

The city has a lot of momentum with major developments, population growth, and continued investment in infrastructure.That said, it’s not without challenges.

@Jonathan Klemm my hope is to continue to look for opportunities, primarily multi-family but also SFR. 

As you gather all this information, I would continue bettering the process and continuing to buy deals.

Many of them won't be convinced by facts, such as how much revenue STR's facilitate in and around Asheville, and will continue to push debunked sentiments about affordable housing, but the threat of lawsuits might make them play nicer.

I also hope airbnb does not continue to get less host friendly.  

they are a non accredited pay to play orginization.. while they do some nice meet ups and have basic info.. does not mean that any lender that pays to be a member is a better lender than the thousands of us that are not members..

It's so bad that my last purchase was in Indiana, which was my first OOS investment, and likely will continue to look there if the market doesn't improve here.  

This brings a much greater liability into play, and in my opinion provides greater balance.Is this offering the best “deal” for a passive investors?  

It’s a great way to grow faster.HELOC or Equity Tapping: If you have equity in another property, using a HELOC or cash-out refinance could help cover the down payment without affecting your DTI as much.Seller Financing or Creative Deals: Look for sellers willing to finance directly, which bypasses traditional mortgage qualification hurdles.Scaling quickly often involves combining strategies—play around with what works best for your goals.