As a single white 130 pound 5ft 1inche female who can't speak spanish and sticks out like a sore thumb.

A real eye-sore on the block.

It's a stretch to say that this place is anything like Detroit, and a sore point for most locals.

The property is in sore shape, with numerous vacancies.

These can be precarious problems - eye sore for sure -- sometimes it's evident of settling.. and sometimes the house settles more and causes severe structural issues.

an noticed a really crappy house standing out like a sore thumb.

There appears to also be a slight (or starting) mental disorder in play, I suspect.

We I walk other comps in the area, the refinished tile sticks out like a sore thumb and often is already peeling around the edges.  

This may jump all over the place but it'll make sense to you afterward.Start Here: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investingRead This: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2010/06/10...Read This: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2010/06/30...This should help you get started.Bandit signs work for getting leads on motivated sellers.You can also find motivated sellers thru public records search (NOD's, Pre-foreclosure, Code Violations (community eye-sores), etc.You can also place an ad on craigslist that you're an investor and "you buy houses!"

Interestingly enough there is still one more 'problem house' a few houses up from mine which is really the last major eye-sore in the neighborhood.