first off you should be commended.. all the folks that I have seen over the years weather all sorts of storms be them health, relationship, financial have had massive equity or little or no debt.most people strive to have no or little debt later in life..

Looking for recommendations on websites, resources, anything helpful on finding real estate and economic related data.

Even if it must remain a 2-unit rental, seeking to acquire properties with unfinished basements is a good strategy; usually, the basement can be finished economically....you could make either or both larger units, at a minimum, and gain a 3rd unit in the best case.On the surface, your deal has merit, you should seriously consider it.

So you want to find out as much information as you can about that area through Chamber of Commerce, through the economic study, talking to the brokers.

And fear is way more powerful than hope.You can see this fear/hope in psychological/economic experiments.

It slows way down between March - August, with June-July being the slowest of them all.I'm interested in seeing if it's just a local, region, or nation thing, related to summer, vacations, weather, Government, or other economic changes in areas. 

In most areas, perc tests are handled by the local county and/or health department - but the process can vary depending on where you're at.What is the topography of the property?

This economic hiccup (and much worse!)

What are the economic prospects of this small town?

Absentee Homeowners with Equity is most popular, but you might consider one of the other alternatives such as Seniors with High Equity, Recently Divorced and Homeowners with Low Economic Stability Scores.Be sure that the list you get has been put through National Change of Address (NCOA) and CASS.