I think it depends on if your in the business or you have a day job and your investing as a side line or as an alternative to other main line investments like stocks bonds and closely held companies.It seems to me those of us who do this for a living appreciation and or really forced appreciation is the play.. either buying cash flow properties that have been miss managed ( probably like what@Cody L. has done in Houston turning them around raising value through better financials refinancing them.. that's quite popular..Or others that are like myself developers.. we take raw land create subdivisions and build homes and work on a X factor not a rate of return factor..

Jason Pinkerton World's least popular answer here: buy a later-build income property with a ridiculously high percentage down.

Are FSBOs popular there?  

This has obviously become a less popular way to do the scam as there's no way to do it that way without the negative effects following you around.  

On Oahu, high demand is usually best with easy access to military bases, or in popular school districts. 

This is why it's a popular place to invest in for people that live in expensive cities in Southern CA, it's a short drive away and the rental numbers out here are much better. 

Looks like a popular spot.

@Jacob Elbaum Another popular thing to do is to look for a certain radius around a Starbucks.  

I know this is a popular topic in private circles of investors.

@Zain BhayaniI'd suggest you get the Pinterest and Houzz apps on your phone/tablet and spend a little time looking through them to see what's popular right now in general.