There are a lot of government programs to help people to get into $100k homes.  

I've read (all my knowledge is theoretical) that tenants on government assistance can be really rough on properties (I also see that as painting with a broad brush) but the government assistance side of that is pretty stable income, and it doesn't seem terribly difficult to raise rent either, just requires 60-days notice instead of 30. 

The white body and black trim was/is popular in SoCal...

Normally does not wipe out government liens like IRS, demolition, mowing, preservation, etc.Some place it also does not wipe out water/sewer/utility liens.IRS I believe has 120 days to act after the foreclosure, I can think the other ones sunset.

Last thing you want is to decide to sell after you've been abroad for a while, and then owe both the foreign and the US government on the capital gains.  

That means that all other liens (except local government for things like sewer, demolition, etc) are no longer on the property.

Cash is like the blood flow through your body.  

Government backed loans are assumable and by the way they do not have the Due-on-sale clause inserted in 1970.

Being unemployed is a ***** and our government leadershit is not making things better.

You might want to explore Athens or Decatur, still within commuting distance to Huntsville government jobs, but real estate prices not so high.