The loan balance on some of the pre-foreclosure leads were way lower than the home value.

There is a very well known team, top in units sold in Omaha, that adds 1,000 but they often lower their listing commission. 

There is a high demand for rentals in B areas, but the entry point is much lower for you.Good luck!

It would lower you P&I payment a little more.Hope this helps.

There are limits to going lower and any of that money that isn't spent on property will be taxed (called the boot).Things get tricky when you do combos as an option, then you run into limits of how much they can be worth etc etc.

I believe that the flips in the lower price ranges go fast, but now you are getting into a higher grade of property which might see some softening moving forward. 

In my case, I never lowered rents on an existing tenant during the recession (olympia, WA 1 hour south of Seattle).  

In Indiana, you might want to check out the NW corner, which is part of the Chicago metro area, but with Indiana's lower taxes and much more landlord friendly environment.

Almost every lender will finance a single family for 5% (sometimes lower) if it is owner occupied.

For example, you might be able to pay higher loan origination fees in order to secure a lower long term rate.