For most of those cities, I think it is too late in the cycle for good turnkey opportunities. 

Its not easy to time the market exactly, but with experience you get to understand that the property market is running in cycles. 

So, I feel like I'm in a never-ending cycle of trying to find more money to buy with.

Seems like everyone knows something and has a story.Most people don't redeem, but I can almost guarantee that if you do a full nice reno, the word gets out and junior, who hasn't paid the taxes for 10 years, now has miraculously found the money and their 50% penalty....or they find a lawyer to challenge the sale saying they weren't property notified.   

However once I was able to get it on the college leasing cycle and rent it out per bedroom, I took rents from $1245/month to $1600/month ($400/bedroom is a reasonable rate for college students in Duluth).

Our loan on this property s at a miraculous 3.25% (thanks, 2020!)

The only way to know if it was a good investment is when it has gone full cycle - but you don't know that until you invest - unless you use a network or Community to help you. 

Electrify America, founded out of DieselGate, is in Cycle 3 of their $2 billion deployment plan. 

I don't like it for long term buy hold with tiny deltas and no equity.. that to me is a fools errand unless its area with a very good probability of high appreciation which at this point in the cycle there are not many markets that resemble that comment. 

Wall Street Journal and The Economist are good ways to know what cycle we are in and how to move forward.