Another factor that comes into play is that I represent the target market that I intend to serve (traveling business professionals).

Kind of a serving the community move and marketing play? 

It is a great business with a real estate play attached.  

Hi there, I was walking around looking for distressed properties using the info I learned from these forums and identified a target.Then I went online to the property appraisers and found the property - BINGO!

You seem unable to even begin to put yourself in the shoes of the landlord here, to understand what it's like to have someone play games with you like this.

It's affordable (even now), researching it online is easy, the people/culture fits my personality, and travel is a breeze from the bay area. 

That’s where real estate investing comes into play.

While using an FHA loan, is it pretty typical that the first year will be a loss while focusing on the longer play?

They have an online application that you can customize and can do the screenings through their site.

Detroit demands a very specific geographic analysis and execution of that analysis...and not a global economic trend analysis.Does the auto industry play a role?...