I think that assuming there is a crash (which there may or may not be) ensuring your income is stable so that you can qualify for loans or speaking to a portfolio lender would put you in the best position to move quickly, also the more you save the more you can invest.

We are in a stable market, but anything can happen during the course of the loan (as all of you know).I came back and told the seller that I am fine with a full recourse loan, but none of this whole "considered as rent" statement.She responded with "However, if the buyer defaults, fails to make a payment for example, many agreements allow the seller to deem the payments “rent” and the agreement a lease.

This way, they have a stable start to being a landlord. 

I think this could be a great strategy to relocate your assets to the more stable midwest. 1031 exchange should get you plenty of opportunities in the rust belt.

The city has a renowned international reputation for consistantly reeling in the top shelf corporations. 

Hello - in my opinion, Montana is a great and very stable market to invest in. 

I think they want to see consistent money and a stable job I would talk to your mortgage broker

For example if you buy a property now and in a few years the market drops will we see rent prices follow this trend, will they stay stable or will they increase? 

I have a good stable job, other moderate investments (stocks; commodities); equity in both rentals and rent revenue so I can offer collateral for a loan - but no US credit score. 

As far as the local area, the market is great for rentals as the military seems to keep it fairly stable.