For the investors I work with, I send my flippers to certain neighborhoods (Near east side, Crown Hill, Mapleton Fall Creek) and my LTR investors to other areas (West side, Christian Park, Martindale-Brightwood) -- there are some transitional neighborhoods that work for both (Brookside, Little Flower). 

We've had friends own properties in high risk areas (coasts / fire-prone areas). 

Rent ready units on the MLS at small unit counts are unlikely to have positive cash flow in spite of what various mid-west RE agents and turnkey providers claim.- Value adds are a lot of work and have risk. 

welcome to bp, your sentiment around leverage is 100% correct, and I'd challenge you to follow your own advice and use that leverage to put as little as possible into the real estate rather than the coveted "pay cash for it" or while one can pay cash, utilizing your w2 to refinance is a unique skill and ability you can have.house hacking in the mid west is where its at for sure.

YUP  self serving  underhanded subliminal marketing attempt  dove tailing off he new crop of U tubers trying to convince investors that section 8 is a money train and the tenants are just so happy to have the voucher there is NOTHING they would ever do to lose it etc etc.In Jackson specifically they can trash the house and sec 8 WILL not take their voucher they just go on to the next landlord that just rehabbed a house and wants section 8 rent because market rate tenants in that city are some of the absolute worse payers in all the 25  markets I have worked over the last 22 years in the mid west and rust belt states and cities. 

Devin my lending business has a very Narrow niche our specialty is the 200k under BRRR that all these BP members want for rentals in the mid west.. we put them into title and let them refi or flip..

Anyone has wholesale deals in west Kentucky?

We like the South East, as well as mid west markets.  

I'm now down on the Central Coast (SLO County).I'm doing two things... investing in the midwest and building an ADU here at my primary (almost complete!). 

But I like the market in the East Coast.