(Sadly, but true, for now).Another potential is to convert the property into a restaurant location and sell it right away with a profit.

I'm not looking to profiteer, but I could see a benefit to moving down and working with a contractor company just to meet the inevitable incoming demand (I have little experience, but want to learn), and I imagine there will be a whole new market of available properties to flip.

I'm 26 years old with a full time job and want to start investing on the side until I grow my portfolio and profIts enough to be able to Invest full time.

I believe we have a long way to go to catch up in terms of both student rental housing prices and student rent rates (some students are still paying $200/bedroom).For these reasons, I believe investors can make a bigger profit with less risk investing here in Windsor.  

You make your money when you buy, so you want to buy low enough to have enough margin to cover rehab plus your profit at the end.

I know how buying a house for a primary residence can become an emotional decision which increases the amount a person is willing to pay... but with attempting to pick up a long-term buy and hold, at least in my experience, the profitably is largely determined at purchase (and of course subsequent to this, proper tenant screening and management of the property).

And if you really want to exit that market to another hotter one, since you forced the appreciation, you can then evaluate if you are willing to sell the property at a discount (below market value but still good profit because of your forced appreciation) just to get into the hotter market quicker.

The company subs out the larger jobs, and we have very little control over how much a plumber costs, etc.

Both are great options and can be very profitable.

In my smaller commercial deals yes I did get the tax return schedule E (bank typically request it too), but on larger deals Sellers declined to provide it and broker said that's fairly common.