Just trying to gauge whether or not this would be a good idea.

I am really liking that investing in Notes is a way to help relieve some of the pressure from struggling borrowers.

To the contrary, the more naysayers post on forums like you did, the less investment pressure focuses on Detroit and the more time I have to build my portfolio.  

We are real laggards in this regard ... too many years of cheap energy has made us wasteful and complacent.Stepping away from the doom and gloom for a moment, while there are precious few truly energy efficient buildings, interest is growing and you are starting to see pressure on building codes to take the subject seriously (though around here, they are still congratulating themselves on finally adopting R22 as the minimum insulation of a wall assembly).However, to date, depending on your clientele, there is no significant financial reward to the landlord to have an extremely energy efficient rental.  

I'm trying to gauge whether there is interest in having a meetup in the area.

Long lengths is bad because that gauge of wire is not cheap.

[A little something for the blood pressure of @Matt Geerts and @Greg S.]Another of Toronto's finest tenants, but al least this fellow has a little style.

I use zillow to gauge supply and price in the area.STAGE & LISTOne week before the open house: Stage the unit: Shop your house and the big box stores for little details that help the prospective tenants imagine their glamorous life if they lived in your unit.

I told them it was cool to be smart being called a geek should be a badge of honor .Too much of USA parents pressure students to be sports stars to the point there studies are neglected .I had one parent in high school tell me my son could be a jockey he is 5'9 ,I laughed I told him my son is going to college and hopefully getting a Engineering degree, sports is not his ticket to a job!

Asking to gauge the search for contractors with knowledge of it.