For example, how can I compare Brevard (I work in a plant of 800 people and know several who commute from Brevard) to Cullowhee which has the University of Western Carolina to Leicester which is commuting distance to a smaller college but is closer to the city of Asheville to Black Mountain which has the HQ of Ingles?

Military base, hospital, factory, refinery, power plant construction...

My profession is plant operations and supervision (Homer Simpson-ish).

You gotta plant in the spring if you expect a crop in the fall .

I was living in McHenry when I bought that one ( grew up in Mount Prospect :)  Actually, the down payment of it was from a townhouse profit I sold down the street from you in Vernon Hills :)    (funny how those little seeds turn into something when planted.... :) ) Everything I do is value add.

I won't plant anything though.

I did have to question the replacement of a window pane twice over the matter of three months and I haven't seen an issue since.My property here in Colorado - it's rented by a management trainee (24 year old kid right out of college) for the local meat packing plant.  

I worked as the plant accountant for a foundry for 5 years.

The best time to plant them is 15 years ago.  

If you do plan t but cash and then refi, keep in mind that many lenders have a seasoning period - meaning you might have to wait 6 months before being able to refi and getting max LTV.