It seemed like a great deal and I was even considering keeping it myself except for the fact it was an hour away in some small cow town out in the Country.

We have probably 20% international students and only 1 or 2 every year bounce early...never ones from Asian countries though.

Rules of thumb are stupid because they are market sensitive and what makes sense where Brandon lives might make no sense where you live on the complete other side of the country.

I can recommend agents all over the country that are top notch.  

Operating expenses are similar throughout the country. 

I drive in the city just for the joy of it, and Chicago has some of the best people in the country so the work seems more like fun.

-Brand new carpet and water heater-A/C and swamp cooler in good condition-Fenced in back and side yards-No HOA, but still part of a lower level country club out there.

sorry for the late response, I was out of the country for a bit but as @Russell Brazil mentioned, I did house hack for quite a bit with a triplex I have in Charles Village (near JHU).

My listing is in the north side and out in a gated community in the country.

I believe real estate investing can help me by making me independent in terms of my personal finance needs and providing me time to focus more on my efforts to be a social worker to help communities such as in Pakistan, which is my country of origin.