I'm sure there will be others with their own (and possibly conflicting) opinions, but for question #1, I always advise my clients to focus on properties in areas that 1) they currently (or previous) live in/near, 2) they travel to frequently, or 3) they have family/friends in the area.For question #2, the answer is going to depend on what you do for #1.

Focus on areas with sustainable taxes and long-term rental demand, targeting groups like college students, young professionals, or travel nurses.

Rodrigues' recommendation may change this), but my next question would be, are there any cities/markets where 1 of the following are true: 1) You have family/friends that live there, 2) You travel there frequently (either for vacation, work, etc.), or 3) Somewhere else you've lived before AND know the area well?

I like following stock markets, cryptocurrency markets and love to travel.

Lastly, check any shared doors or gaps and add door sweeps or weatherstripping to block sound from traveling between the units. 

What the local shop has, is what you get, unless you want to travel farther to see what else others have.

Managing five rentals can eat up a ton of time in any given week, often at times that are inconvenient to you and your personal interests (family, hobbies, travel, etc.).Of course you can manage on your own.

., San Diego, and others)—making it feel like a “natural” choice for a regional traveller wanting to get away for a short weekend. 

Not only do we find the housing market to be a little more manageable, but a lot of people travel there year round. 

The profile of the typical Houston traveler is someone coming in for work.