So fingers crossed for the near future. 

I think it prudent to start the search for a rental in any market with the PM's first... they are your front line of defense.send them potential properties and ask them for rent estimates.. forget on line stuff.. and keep in mind so many of these areas are street to street or block to block that are rental dominated and 66k in Memphis is going to be border line can either be good or it can not be good becaseu of the street.

If you keep the place really clean people are usually good about doing their part, but if you cross over that tipping point it will go south very quickly.  

Get advice from X-border accountant first.4.

My focus here is in the suburbs on the cities bordering Detroit.

cant remember the cross st.. 

This house is actually just on the KS side of the border.

Since you have a lease through June and its a single family home, chances are it wouldnt sell for what you want, so cross that off. 

In my opinion, the most strategic places to target within these zones is where crime is lowest and where the zones border other areas that are undergoing appreciation in value.

They would probably be willing to cross collateralize the existing properties for the down payment on the new property (or you could just re-fi though I bet that would cost more).