I do like places that have potential for good appreciation, but a steady consistent market with good employment rates is more important to me.

I like that each vehicle that the domestic "Big 3" produce employs significantly more Americans than the Imports that are assembled here (because many more parts are imported, not because they are more efficient).I know we are all sick of hearing about and paying for bail outs.

I've recently thought about "contracting" my postman to give me addresses of properties which don't collect the mail often and/or seem abandoned.

Has anyone else done anything similar in any regards to this?

I;m thi...

That can be greatly influenced by local conditions, such as the closure of a major employer.

There are already some ingredients suggest it will not stay that way very long.San Francisco Bay Area Employment Employment growth through Oct 2017(Bureau of Labor) YEAR SF to SCC employment 2007 2,235,100 2008 2,304,500 2009 2,188,700 2010 2,184,800 2011 2,349,700 2012 2,570,700 2013 2,736,000 2014 2,926,900 2015 3,114,900 2016 3,267,300 2017 2,708,200 Affordability of housing is a key issue. 

Also TK model allows me to invest even by keeping my full time employment. 

Currently, however, the custodian through my employer does not allow these types of investment vehicles so I am constrained to use my Roth at the present time while I'm employed.

As it relates to your post, you may discover that you enjoy employing multiple techniques to reach your objectives.

The major employeer in the area moves , you lose your job and the tenant pool dries up .

That is not an easy thing to do and I'm sure that your faith and courage will pull you through this.That being said, funding will be difficult to come by but nothing is impossible.My suggestion would be to reach out to as many people in NYC (If that is where you intend on going) and seek employment in this industry first and foremost.