The properties are in a 20K town in a more rural area. 

There is a move-in ready to rent Town home.

This being said, the 1st of our 3 opportunities will be an ongoing funnel of bank approved clients that are looking for a new home which we can provide that is basically hurricane resistant due to our patented building system which will be built on lots being offered to us by a private land owner, who will get paid once the home is built and family takes possession.

With that many supposedly empty dwellings, you have no idea if the population declined that tiny amount because so many people are living between the cracks.Unless some affordable housing starts getting built somewhere in the USA in the near future, I see a lot of people landing here, not because they want to, but because they have no other choice at their price point (zero).

It being a college town is a plus in down markets. 

The house was built in 1978 and looks to be in good condition, with the exception of eventually needing new windows and painted walls.

@Ian Livaich in general a handful of towns in Gloucester County.

I work in down town Boston and I'm amazed by how many people take the commuter rail from like Newburyport to downtown.

A better strategy would be to get your finances in order, get a job that pays well enough to save, and when you have saved some and have built your credit, look into real estate.

Based on the year the home was built, make sure all of the mechanicals are in order and that there is no lead based paint.