Bitter relations between tenants and landlords, with an arms race between ever-more ingenious strategies to force tenants out -- what yesterday's article oddly described as ''free-market horror stories'' -- and constantly proliferating regulations designed to block those strategies?

I would concentrate on learning all you can about investing in Real Estate locally before you venture out of state. 

When that happens, the real estate agent can win a client for life. 1.Seller ContributionsOften misnamed "seller concessions" seller contributions are really a range of incentives or other financial offerings designed to make the deal more attractive and doable for a buyer.Seller contributions that make a deal more attractive must address market conditions while also meeting lenders' requirements and disclosure requirements.Opportunities"Closing cost credit reduces the cash the buyer must contribute at closing without lowering the sales price.

we have huge affordable housing issue in in Minneapolis so maybe some mixed use development that are more than one story high...some of the old urban core was not that well designed. 

Just tired and bored of the 10+ year old design and colors.

Hialeah, Design District, Little Haiti, Allapattah.

Two ideas I had: - Designate an area for tenants to park their cars, and block off the front from parking using landscaping and/or building out a porch seating area of some sort. - Cover the block exterior with a more attractive (and less prison-like) exterior.

one thing you might want to consider is what particular niche do you want to concentrate on.you have owner occ notes.. 

New construction gave us a modern design and we would ideally not have any major repairs for 10 years or so.

I make a good salary as an architect designing large apartment complexes for national developers.