I'm based in france so I expect very different scenario to there in the states.I'm have decided to invest further in a town near me called Saint Yrieix (SY) - it has about 7000 inhabitants, high employment and good connection with a larger town Limoges 25 miles and 140 000 inhabitantsLooking at the chart below on right SY has much few tenants (locataires) ratio to owners compare to the large town also below.Is there any guidance you guys can give me on selecting an area to invest and what sort of signs one should look for.

That is a very specific niche and one that has to be done with precision and very calculated risks.

Here's a chart which includes both FNMA maximums and estimated court costs. 

I haven't heard of realtors providing such lists but since they have access to a certain number of tools it's certainly a good idea.How precisely are you able to specify your target in your lists?

I have lived in Asheville (mountains of Western North Carolina) from 2006-2012 and 2015-present, and lived in Greenville, SC (1 hour south of Asheville) from 2012- 2015.Real estate in Asheville has gone off the charts since 2012 people relocating from the Northeast and Rust Belt states, so cap rates are low on most deals. 

When you see 1% on that chart, that means 1 discount point to hold constant the rate.

Make a spreadsheet/chart and print it out; "TOTAL DEBT", then stick it to the wall and chart your progress.

That S&P chart isn't all bad.

Here's a chart showing that.Second, you are more likely to get a discount when a property has been sitting on the market for awhile than when it is just listed for sale.

Now that the architectural and structural engineering plans are complete, but before submitting to the city for permits and shelling out the permit costs, I wanted to get more precise bids so I could make a go/no-go decision. - HarmanP.S.