Budget for dropping occupancy, it's going to happen...Your competition for these properties are the Chinese, Australians who just want their cash out of their country where cash flow is frosting.

Spend the next few months immersed in the RE culture, surround myself with investors in the area, and learn as much as possible.(2.)

turns out the chinese are buying hundreds of properties at a time in Detroit.

The vacancy could be high for many reasons, such as: 1) High rent/deposit or screening criteria 2) Poorly advertised to potential business owners 3) No popular stores or business types that might attract regular customers e.g. chinese eatery, nail spa, pizza place, pawn shop, liquor store

OMG you will be in culture shock in TX.  

They were just much more plentiful during the crisis..As an old Chinese proverb goes, the best time to plant a tree was 10 yrs ago - the next best time is today..

In true Biggerpockets culture of open sharing, I believe I can get the movers and shakers of the Chicago real estate market to come to me if I give out REAL value.

The other day, I read in a Chinese newspaper that it's one of the top 10 cities to invest.

Example there is a burger joint, Chinese, Mexican, but hardly any Italian.

With many tenants it's a cultural statement to have  a pit.