Dundalk I would prefer compared to Essex as it's closer to the city. 

Great question @Lorraine Hadden,You should always compare both side by side to see the advantages /disadvantages to each.

I am looking to connect with people in the industry who are proactive and looking for their next project.

The real estate investing industry uses "Classes" to rank property performance risk, but there's NO agreed upon industry model:(Here's what we use for our Metro Detroit market:Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

I agree with @Michael Baum, are they true comparables? 

Consider a market that you visit often, have family in, went to college at, spent time in the past.You will have a better sense of what the good / bad parts of town are compared to a city you never visited.Best of Luck!

I've painted more walls, ceilings and trim work than I could ever count in my lifetime and *I* suck compared to professional painters, and most of my paint jobs could pass for lower-end professional jobs. 

My understanding is that although it can work, these types of legal agreements have big downsides compared to sub to.

Sales comparison A common method that compares the property to similar properties nearby and their relative prices.

It doesn't matter the company you work for as long as you are part of the real estate industry.