It's still early there whereas Columbus, as you stated, has already gone mainstream.I like finding markets before everyone else figures them out.

It could also be nothing nefarious at all but just needing time to find a new place to move into.  

If so, I'd love some feedback, as I can't seem to find many student reviews.

Thanks a bunch for the reply.If you guys want a laugh, find someone on an old s8 (lol) and try using the site 😆

Take your money and find two houses in a better area at a bit of a discount (say you can get them for 90% of what theyre worth) and split your money from the  sale of the home to use as the down payment on the two new investment homes.You should be able to get 100k to 120k for a house in park forest if its fixed up. 

I would love to help you find a property in Auburn, but I am also interested in investing myself.

What I'm basically asking is, how do I find the right balance between cash flow and increased building value? 

One thing a lot of investors do not realize that accountants/bookkeepers if they find 1 mistake, it can take up to 15-20 minutes trying to figure it out.

Can anyone point me in the right direction to find a long term equity partner?  

You'll find most folks flocking to the Midwest for out of state investing.The most popular areas are still in Ohio, specifically Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus, etc.Personally, I'm hugely bullish on Detroit.