Since my wife works in the city near Hampden, we will probably concentrate our research efforts on the north side of the city.I am still in the air with whether I want to pursue the city or some area in Baltimore County for my first property.

If you don't mind the commute, Cape Coral still has some opportunity as do segments of North Fort Myers.

The agent then doesn't have to split a commission and I won't be dragging around my agent and wasting his time.I just figured having my best interests in mind isn't suggesting that I pay the same price for an old run down house as a completely remodeled and beautiful home down the street.  

Currently there is a building for sale ($60,000) on our main street, which on the lower level hosts one of the towns most popular bars and on the upper level has 2 apartments that need major renovation.

@Karin U. thanks I was curious as I own rental property in Orlando and live in North Carolina.

Now at this point, I do feel like I could go to the next step of being real estate investor and am mainly looking at buying single family homes in the North Texas.

As petroleum prices sink to newly tested lows, expect the trickle-down effect to take a toll on the cities in Texas, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and fracking states, like Ohio.While Charlotte and Atlanta are both good investment locations in 2016, I believe it is safe to say that Seattle is going to take the cake in 2016.

Walk streets, call on properties for rent and see what they rent for, go to your county appraiser's site and see what the rentals you called on were purchased for. define what sort of real estate investing you want to do.Define your goal, which should be more than, I want financial freedom. 

They live next door and across the street.

@Joe Homs also operates as a flipper just north of you.