I have family in Sydney and NZ and property prices are through the roof!

I'm relatively new here as well but over a decade in every aspect of real estate.  

The common issue that you'll find with all landlords is the maintenance management aspect.  

People always need a roof over their heads and people are always looking to buy!

The roof is in need of some repair (~$2000), but should probably be replaced entirely in the 3-5 year range for roughly $21000 (huge roof).

Its somewhat of a double bubble. 1) You have the education/learning aspect from being able to have the question/answer forums that you can help yourself, help others, or simply learn something new from reading other members questions/answers.2) You can more easily find people local to you to network with that will significantly help your investing as well.BP has hit on the double bubble! 

Sounds like a big deal.For those of you with experience on flat roofs--popular in Baltimore--how do you feel they'll handle the weight of all this predicted snowfall?

.• Composition roofs require more maintenance than tile roofs• Properties in climates with hard freezes require more maintenance than properties in milder climates.• Properties in locations with a lot of moisture require more maintenance than properties in dryer climates.• Wood siding requires more maintenance than aluminum or stucco siding.• Properties with lush vegetation require more maintenance than properties with little or no vegetation.Below is a typical Las Vegas single family home.As you can see, there is not a lot to maintain. 

Good jobs and employmentIf a property has these 4 aspects going for it its probably something that would interest me.Beyond that I look at:5. 

The roof was leaking, and we reported this promptly.