In our case, we generated investment capital by selling my bachelor pad (a condo I owned) after I got married, and my brother’s house (after he relocated).

My goal right now is cashflow at first because that will take some pressure off me financially so I work a little less at my day job and pursue RE locally.  

It's a cliche.However,one other fad we have seen on BP is this pull to lower priced markets (I won't mention names so as not to offend sensibilities,but you probably know them).The reality of the business is that these markets are lower priced for a reason.You may be getting an assassin's cash flow and C-O-C returns today from your units in these markets but when jobs hemorrhage in a recession,your cash flow rapidly turn negative.Big markets suffer less in a massive recession.Occupancy and vacancies mirror what the local job market is doing.The sole reason I relocated to Jacksonville from Cleveland in 2011 is to stop being an "out-of state investor".That brings me to the other point under this topic.We saw a very lucrative 16-unit listed some 18 months ago.Well,it should be lucrative,except despite listing at an attractive price,most interested buyers couldn't get the numbers to work.The numbers didn't work because the out-of-state owners were getting absolutely wiped out year-on-year by phony expenses logged by their "boots-on-the-ground" and PMs.Even in strong markets,it's crucial to buy in good parts of town.That way,when vacancies inevitably occur during the apocalypse ,your copper wiring or HVACs won't be stolen....or your property vandalized.Choose your market wisely.

Stable employment, good salaries, and not much risk of losing employees due to layoffs or relocation.- While the Air Force is not the only employer, other large companies in the area offer no guarantees.

Recently my Wife and I relocated to help in a family business, she quit her job as a Pharmacist, and I continue to invest, her new position, is not w-2 income based its more equity building vs income, we have 18 rentals, but rehabs as we grow as you all know takes a ton of cash, I can borrow on the commercial side for rentals and flips, but the new location property values are much higher and we are trying to find a personal residence.

I might be relocating to the Williamsburg, VA area for work this summer.

I’ve been planning a relocation recently avoiding states that have income taxes.

If you can find find them, seal the deal, negotiate the right price, its a WIN WIN for everyone (Homeowner - Avoids Foreclosure, Possible Relocation Fees  / Banks - Less Foreclosed Home on thier Books, Carrying Costs, Time &.............

You also need to check with the utility companies and get cost estimates from them for availability, fees, hookup charges, transformer and power line/power pole locations or relocation requirements, water, sewer,gas, cable etcYou will need ball park cost estimates from site work contractors for site work, roads, installation of utility lines etc.

Residential, commercial, foreclosure/ REO, relocation?