Currently looking in San Antonio, Sacramento and Grand Rapids...but would love to hear your thoughts around Chicago and Kansas. 

They may have lucked in with a couple good tenants at the start, however, their business rapidly deteriorates with one bad tenancy or worse, a devious tenant who knows how to use the landlord-tenant laws to their advantage.

I had put quite a lot of improvements into it but the property was in a bad location and could barely bring in enough rent to cover its rapidly increasing costs (it was a condo in an aging high rise with significant ongoing maintenance costs).

Rents are increasing rapidly to the point where buying anything under $250-300k is often cheaper than renting.

I want to expand rapidly, but finding financing after 6 properties is proving to be difficult.

Depends on if the area in Philadelphia appreciates rapidly. 

I came across the Grand Rapids member sub forum in MI, but can't figure out how to start a discussion in that forum specifically. when I hit the blue Start a Discussion button, it's for the overall site.( I found the site tutorial at one point, and now can't find it again.)

The growth of this demographic is non-linear due to the rapid growth in medical, technology and supporting industries.

They are changing rapidly there.

You need to make sure you have a construction Contingency and interest reserves as costs have been going up  at a rapid pace and projects Have been taking 25 to 30% longer than in years past