Just some food for thought. 

I have a tenant on food stamps who was at the social security office and saw me at the property when she got back.

It's useless to hire a pest control company (or spray yourself) if you've got a tenant who leaves food and garbage out that continues to attract roaches. 

I posted this in another thread, but thought it would make good food for discussion here:I've been struggling with this.

Tons of great food.

As stated above, except for any food or drink you happen to order there is no charge to attend.

Learn a LOT about investing out of state.Research the market you are going into and figure out the best markets.Make connections in those markets and vet those connections.Save up more money and move up from the war zone and go to a $30,000 to $50,000 minimum market where there is less crime, less vacant lots and vacant houses, where the police will actually respond to a call from a homeowner, where there are jobs for your tenants to work at, where there are schools for your tenants to send their children, where there are real grocery stores for them to buy real food (not gas station or fast food).  

Office buildings...Would it be good for fast food or bank where you could land lease them the property and they would develop it and your colleague would just sit back and collect check.As you can see there are a bunch of scenarios you can throw out there but it all starts with the zoning of the property and what is allowed under current zoning laws unless you wanted to go through a zoning variance proceeding.

Appreciation does not pay the bills or put food on the table.

You want a product as food or better than the homes you are using as comparables.Without seeing your project I'd be very tempted to gut the exterior walls at least so I could insulate.