Cool Temp you can search them on instagram or the web.

They have said if I wanted I can go in and fix stuff we all know isn't going to pass the FHA inspection, I can.But i dont have the experience, nor do I have the tools.

how is your search going?

How can I do "factual, numbers, stats" only research so I can narrow my search down to a handful of cities i.e. census information etc for the following and please let me know if I am missing anything out important? 

Here are some recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/usersSet up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsRead Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investingIf you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select the name of that person which should appear below the comments box.

You will find a lot of useful info here by searching your topics of interest.

None the less, I travel to the areas 1-3 hrs from where I live and look around a lot.Recommendations for Rural narrowed down to this:1) Find a major metro area with strong jobs and increasing population, and search up to 60 miles out.2) Find the most affordable region 60 miles out that has something special to offer in the path of progress.

The bigger the company the higher their overhead, the more money they spend on advertising and marketing plus workman's comp, insurance, and manytime even the vehicles and tools.

Just search the BP Blog.

It peaked my interest enough to search for shows a little more specific to me.