It might not be as glamorous as Dallas but you can't take glamour to the bank, There are some Midwest markets with strong, vibrant and modern economies.

What is problematic is at what point do people just consider that having an operation in other vibrant communities saves huge amounts of money for the business and results in a better quality of life (least in terms of housing and outside costs like schooling)?

Here is my financial situation:I have 3 credit cards: (owe/limit) Chase Sapphire: 4.5k/5k      monthly payment= $120Citi Platinum Select: 4.8k/5k   monthly payment= $115Amex Green: 0/no limit (charge card)Total I owe: 9.3K/10k Income (after tax) = 2k/month. - expenses = 1k (not including CC payments)Credit score is = 670sTo be able to purchase a Homepath property you need to put at least 10% down which would be about 5k if purchasing a 50k SFR.Do you recommend paying down both my credit card balances to $0 or can I pay it down until they reach 30% utilization?

As others have said there is a vibrant and extensive network of Bay Area investors to tap into.Good to see you getting back up and into the game after taking a fall.Cheers,Jeff

Here in Hawaii, the real estate market is a bit more vibrant than in the rest of the country thanks to a few unique features (warm weather, idyllic tropical setting, extremely low crime rates, etc.), so demand is consistently higher than in most other places.

I would have thought it would have been a great increase in crime, but it actually has the opposite effect and can be a good indicator towards a more vibrant future for the immediate location.

While it is true that INNOVATION is one of the mainstays of a vibrant economy, I believe that along with INNOVATION, American needs to improve its "WORK ETHIC."

It's encouraging to come back to a vibrant community at biggerpockets :)

Just wanted to add another note.I use my (new) Chase Sapphire card to make these purchases.

The money is great, but being able to revive a dying property and make it a vibrant home for a new family, is truly an experience you'll never forget.Thanks for sharing.