Your chart, conveniently left out other pertinent years I see.

Another thing to do is to locate your office and make sure it is convenient and has a minimal of distractions.  

My soon to be tenants asked if she can have the key the evening before the move in date for her moving convenience.

While it is convenient I don't like having an tenant/employee it's a confusing relationship.  

I love how, if MEN* have a hard time expressing and understanding their emotions, they conveniently decide that emotions aren't "appropriate" in business.The supreme irony is, real estate is all about people and relationships, and people are all about emotions.

Then, a few days ago, I got a letter from Capital One with convenience checks with ZERO PERCENT INTEREST.

They know the laws, they know how to play victim and will often play that card against you when convenient for them.

A large (1/2 mil+) metro area with smaller surrounding towns (as I personally enjoy living in a small town, but like to conveniences and investment opportunities of a city)4.

You don't need to allow "exploratory surgery" to occur in your unit while they make it a cheap and more convenient date for the upstairs' owner. 

Chicago is my first choice because it's convenient for my work, a city where I have family, and somewhere where I feel I could cultivate a meaningful social life.