People still do not understand market trends in their area, I am selling one right now that the buyers gave notice in their rental before they even found a home.

Pretty good advice from @Laura AllenI personally like click laminate and have it in my current project, but would opt for the tile.The trend is quartz, but probably won't make that much of a difference in sellability.If the windows for comps are a mixed bag, then I would definitely try to sell without changing them to stay on budget.

The trend of parents assisting their children is just going to continue to grow.

Cap rates have been trending down and thousands of new apartments are being built right now, which may put downward pressure on rents in the next few years, especially for older buildings.I'm seeing more opportunity in single-family right now in Atlanta.  

I'm from north NJ looking to invest in a commercial multi-family property with 30 to 40 units and was considering Jacksonville FL after some articles I had read for 2017 trends.  

If you review the MLS comps you would notice an upward trend over the year ranging from  $121 Sq ft to upward of $146.

I don't know if this is where I need to ask but is there anywhere I can look to see how the housing market is trending?

With inventory trending lower I am trying to diversify a bit.

You may consider an area like Walnut Hills that is trending upward and could become the next OTR if all goes well. 

I will run through the math with them if they want, estimate repairs with experienced eyes, explain the market trends, and really so much more.