Try and track down some of the major macro trends before deciding to dig deeper: are there plenty of jobs, a shortage of housing, improving economic prospects, and sufficient infrastructure (traffic not bad, plenty of amenities..)?

Living in the NYC area, there is never a shortage of renters.

Just as a heads up, there is no shortage of commercial buyers for good properties and most commercial transacations are bought and sold "off-market" If you successfully find a solid commercial property, you should have no problem finding buyers.

I believe there is a shortage of rental apartments in Boston right now, so you shouldn't have trouble finding tenants especially for brand new construction, assuming the rents are within reason.     

They also get employees that drive from all surrounding counties.Currently, there is a real shortage of properties to purchase at prices i find reasonable for investment.

everybody and their moms are doing a project , and there is a shortage of laborers.  

So no shortage of renters.Anyway my advice for cashflow is look for a triplex or quad with low taxes

In my market, there's an extreme shortage of single family rentals, and families pay a premium for them when they do come available.

Even with all these jobs added, there is a shortage in the workforce in a number of areas.  

There is no shortage of demand and I've had good experiences with my tenants.