Buying in a high COLA with loss protection is a no-brainer in my book, but only if you expect to relo again.

The rent-to-price ratios in many neighborhoods are strong, and the city’s population is finally growing again after decades of decline.One thing that stands out to me is Detroit’s median home price—around $95k—which is far below comparable cities of its size in terms of population.

.- Read books like "What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know About Cash Flow" by Frank Gallinelli to deepen your understanding of real estate investing.- Use local real estate agents who are familiar with investment properties to help you find the right deals.You're taking the right steps by seeking knowledge and networking.

However, leaving them where they are I feel like I'm missing out on bookings. 

The combination of its growing tech & healthcare sector, long-term resilience to climate change, and relative affordability makes it an interesting place to start our real estate journey.I spent a big part of my career in hospitality real estate consulting at a Big 4 firm, but I left to explore new opportunities and decided it was finally time to take the leap into real estate investing.

I heard many hosts say that they rarely get any bookings on FF.  

Do you have a direct booking website?

Later I might read The Book on Rental Property Investing by Brandon Turner, but I need to be wary of succumbing to analysis paralysis.Any advice/comments regarding my focus on condos would be greatly appreciated.Thanks much,Daniel

I've seen estimates that are off by 300% when all said and done (e.g. the original bid was $10k but the final cost was closer to $30k).

I ended up having to pay for their tax preparer’s time to (finally) meet with me and make corrections.