I found that the prices are reasonable, and the economy seems to be okay, with it being a government centric metro.

I would say read/learn as much as you can from the BP and other credible sites.

Government is a big sector, along with telecommunications, health care, military, manufacturing, etc.

If you are in the one staying in touch, you show some credibility.

In the meantime, I've also been applying to various Government positions - at a significantly reduced rate of pay in that unless I move, the likelihood of my finding another job in my field is very slim...and I have about another 20 years of working before reaching retirement age.I interviewed for a residential real estate appraiser position at Jefferson County.  

Corporate housing (fully furnished apartments) is a dedicated industry with standardized best practices and service levels in the United States typically governed by the Corporate Housing Providers Association https://www.chpaonline.org.

Do not invest until you know th eregulations that govern your new business. 

Wendy, The government spends a grip of money to compile info for us and its available for free.People can get so much relevant information from the Census Bureau's website, The IRS, and most county's have a website with a link for helping business.You can pretty quickly determine if a town is growing or shrinking and average income etc.

. * The Government's directive excludes loans excludes loans that are owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.* The homeowner must sign a short sale agreement or DIL agreement on or before Dec. 31, 2012.* The home must be listed for sale with a licensed local-area real estate professional.

@Jay HelmsVoucher is Section 8 government subsidized rent program funded by HUD.