We have done all kinds of deals on our own ranging from buying, selling, flips, BRRRRs, and now are also invested in commercial properties along with our SFR portfolio.After retiring from the Navy last summer (2023) and working in a corporate office for 18 months, I have made the leap to working for REI Nation, the country's premier turnkey investment property company.

If you want to do people a favor you can get their offer(s) in writing and then when they try some bait and switch on you - report them to the state and national licensing boards.

Even without a budget for repairs/etc - let's just define "cashflow" as income left over after PITI & utilities for a moment - Mac Groveland and Highland Park are going to be tough.

Larger families, remote workers, or investors could see it as ideal, especially if local schools or amenities like parks, dining, or entertainment are strong.

Typically  issues are raised when the exterior is not kept up with / parking on grass / garbage in neighborhoods where everyone takes pretty good care of their homes.If you keep it clean and run a tight ship, you should be okay most of the time.

See below screenshots/map area.I did a similar strategy when bought a 4 unit in Rogers Park to help myself create high cashflow. 

My husband has worked for one of the largest national home builders for 23 years.

6) What parking requirements/issues will you run into?

At the time I looked, 20 or so years ago, the problem with smaller down towns is the proliferation of nearby strip malls, where the stores are surrounded by a large parking lots, and for laundromats, attract more customers as they can park easily, walk to adjacent stores for shopping, snacks, and browse newspaper and magazine racks, which explains why they do better, there's more customers.

Where these numbers are found, there is a very high rate of rent actually being paid.We have over a dozen Fortune 500 companies just in Metro Detroit with huge Healthcare, Auto, and mortgage industry National footprints.