Filtering the ocean is hella expensive, and importing water also gets more and more costly.

However, last week (and a little bit out of the blue) we just had a great opportunity pop up for a home and some land in the school district that the kids attend, and it came at a bargain due to a combination of some work that needed to be done, the fact that it likely wouldn't pass an inspection for an FHA loan easily, the season, and the direction interest rates are moving.

We specialize in STR's here and also own multiple in both Orlando and other markets such as Gulf Shores, Smokies and Blue Ridge.  

If you rent to a blue caller type people they will not bug you as much.I would have a handyman do 2-5 things at once. 

We could get something on the ocean beach or in a coastal town, along the Puget Sound or San Juan Islands, on a secluded lake, in a resort lake town, in the mountains, out in the woods, something in wine country, somewhere in sunny Eastern Washington. . . we could buy an existing home or a large piece of land and build a cabin (or three); the possibilities seem endless right now, which is causing my head to spin.I am very much looking forward to starting on this journey and learning from, and contributing to this site.

If your goal is to turn the grey sky blue--your not going to be very motivated to do it (because you know you can't) Make your goals realistic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

The blue arrow is where the old back of the house was cut out and the red arrow is where the wall in question was. 

It looks to ME that your 'blue sky' return is about $100 a month, $1200 a year.  

Start eliminating markets - again be ruthlessYou should be down to 15-20 places now (3) Determine your "Nice to haves" and then rank your list Does the market have coffee shops, shopping, other city folks , is it to "hick" or not "hick" enough, do you want to swim in the lake or ocean or just be nearby?

Midland is overall nicer but discovered that we like the blue collar get-to-work vibe of Odessa.