Obviously the areas I'm interested in working will dictate this to an extent...3.

Your goals dictate your plan, and your plan dictates your market...not the other way around.

I used the word 'closing cost' because on the closing documents it's all lumped in together in the final amount needed to close, but you're right - many of those costs are dictated by taxes and closing date, hoa, etc.

In my area we have a ordinance which dictates what can be written in leases and what can be charged. 

The structure of the deal might dictate the price a seller will accept.Take for example a 10 unit building.4 options typically lowest to highest price offered:1.

If you hold for more than 1 year as a rental, then you sold, you would pay short term capital gains taxes at 15%.So your intent and your actions dictate if you will pay ordinary income + self employed, or if you will pay long term, or short term capital gains.

Like every other city, there are market specifics to each that may dictate whether a property is a good deal or not, the potential for appreciation, and the quality of tenants you might get.Good luck!

Similar to what others have mentioned I believe there's many different factors that dictate a persons living situation.

Your state code probably dictates that this means it goes MTM.  

The timing of their paychecks dictates how they pay and they are living hand to mouth- they don't have enough savings to pay when they should and don't have the discipline to start saving.