I am considering investing in a 200K range SF home in either the Southwest/Silver Creek/Oaks area or Northwest/River Lakes/Westlake area of Bakersfield.

I am working Hudson Valley NY area.Thanks in advance for your help & experience - Kelly 

I know you were talking SW and SE multi-fam but I would research the area north of the UofA campus (north of speedway but south of River, east of 1st (aka Euclid) but west of Tucson Blvd).

Look up the Tennessee Valley REI (TVREI) on Meetup. 

His house is a 1980s, frame, 3/2, in my area code, on a quiet culdesac. 5 minutes to the River 15 minutes from the Beach.

Hi Vicky,Boise has been a great market the past few years with double digit annual appreciation throughout the valley.  

What kind of work in what part of the valley?

Look in Melbourne (32901/32925) or Palm Bay (I generally look in 32905 since it's close to the river, but you can go further with 32907, 32909) for people that work in Melbourne, or Cape Canaveral, Titusville, Cocoa (close to the river, not inland) for people that work at CCAFS/KSC.

His house is a 1980s, frame, 3/2, in my area code, on a quiet culdesac. 5 minutes to the River 15 minutes from the Beach.

All homes are close to a river, in a old factory town that has some what held up against losing so many factory jobs.