Prices are low and they hit the bottom during the real estate crash.

Cost per lead (CPL) is crucial—it shows how much you're paying to get a potential seller or buyer’s info, and you want this as low as possible without sacrificing quality.

If you are going to be an owner-occupant, want a low down payment, and are planning to do a renovation, the FHA 203k and Fannie May Homestyle loans are your best optionsHow do you know the property is currently upside down on the mortgage? 

Not that I don’t enjoy dealing with tenants, maintenance, lawn care, Home Depot and Lowe’s trips and tenant change overs (I recently put new carpets, kitchen floor, appliances, vanity and mirror in the bathroom and fresh paint in my upstairs unit).

Make sure you buy it low enough to make it worth the trouble.

And like many other cities, vacancy rates are still low, lots of demand for housing of all types.  

Everybody thinks they can paint because they can - you get a brush or a roller, a can of paint at Lowe's and away you go.

When rent is too low it speeds up the leasing.   

I don’t want the property to appraise low and not have enough money to get when I cash out.

With that low interest rate, you will have paid down a lot of equity in the deal and should be able to finance with a bank.