Most of my home owners are out of state owners who purchased either their future retirement homes or simply liked the tax advantages of owning a vacation home in a state that is fiscally healthy. 

I do keep a healthy reserve fund and have the money to replace it, it's more that they haven't made monetary sense to me. 

I don't know which markets near you that would work it, but those numbers seem like a safe, healthy starting point for you to do a little proof of concept work.Good luck!

What I have going for me - a Class A Contractor’s license, a healthy W2 salary (I’m an engineer at a “think tank”), a little bit of experience, and about $25k or so in the bank for my next investment.  

It's a healthy reminder that it's a game that not everyone succeeds in. 

Luc:While nothing like the craziness in the BC's Lower Delta or southern Ontario's horseshoe, Halifax {proper} has enjoyed a pretty healthy  run of appreciation over the past number of  years ... to the point where we no longer seriously monitor the market as it is over priced from our perspective.

Market inventory is well below a healthy supply of 6 months, generally as low as in the early 2000's, in many cases at an all time low.

If I, a healthy 37 year old, drive my car, suffer a fatal stroke, my car goes across the median, strikes your car.

They are young and healthy, so access to green-ways, gyms, and parks is a nice plus.

I go through a healthy balance of mindset books and realestate focused books/podcasts and it helps keep me grounded and driven.