@Martin Bys how's it going neighbor (I work downtown San Diego)! 

We bought this property initially because the location was close to downtown where we wanted to live.

Purchase price: $220,000 Cash invested: $8,000Located in downtown Woodstock IL, this 2700 sqft 2-story historic home features craftsman woodwork, built-ins, and hardwood floors, with modern finishes. 5 bed 3 bath property with a huge yard, fire pit, and full unfinished basement partitioned and accessible to both side-by-side units.

They target OOS that have no idea what the 5th ward is really like, but on a map see it's proximity to downtown and think it's up next.Think you should focus on a solid SFH for your family if you have some money you can put down, and worry about investing when you are in a position of strength.

A few years ago I bought 100+ acres just outside of Montpelier, VT (5 minutes from downtown).

I have heard some part of downtown should be avoided and else we can find  a good tenants and good cashflow from there. 

If additional housing is to be added, add it to areas that have already been zoned for high density like downtown San Diego.  

My reasoning is Midwest cities are often overlooked, downtown hasn't fully recovered from 2020 yet and it quietly has a lot of new construction, expanding suburbs and has major corporate headquarters (Target, Best Buy, 3M).P.S.

Although it was in good condition, we earmarked some funds for further improvements, including repaving the driveway, installing a new privacy fence, and making select upgrades and repairs inside the units.One of the standout features of this property is its prime location near the vibrant downtown area of Bryan, with easy access to restaurants and shopping, which added considerable value to our investment thesis.Initially, our plan was to utilize the duplex for Airbnb rentals.

Not slick and shiny or downtown beige.