Wealth.When I have time and finances to do what I want, whenever I want to do it, and from wherever I choose to be.The ability to be spontaneous without consequences.The opportunity to give generously to others with time or financially when my gut tells me to without thinking twice.

Does anyone have any insight into the effect of apartment complexes on rent prices and ability to rent SFH in the same town or area of city?

i agree with @rick@Rick Baggenstoss undefined when new development comes to these areas it puts a sense of excitement in the people that live in area. the risk comes in your ability to weed out the tenants that will be long term and be there for a while verse the tenants that will not pay on time or at all and won't be there for long for one reason or another. i personally prefer nurses or someone with a more stable job then a temp agency or kmart can offer. i also look for what kind of car they drive. its newer they might have a loan out which is a sign of a more stable income. also how long where they at their last address 3 years or more is a good sign. but even with all that under their belt the more personally issues might make them a headache to rent to.in regards to most "warzones" being black is entirely untrue. most are a mixture of all race. the term warzone comes from the crime rate within the city not the neighborhood and condition of the buildings within. there are some great people with these buildings that make great tenants and live very stable lives. thousand of diffrent situations that make them bad tenants and good tenants. your screening process makes all the difference in these areas but thats still no reason to shy away from them. real estate investing is suppose to be challenging and if your in it for just the easy deal minus the tuff then your in the wrong game.

I'd hate to see a bill for people that do that.

I would love the sense of accomplishment and the ability to say that I did it all myself but trying to figure out where to draw the line!

And to me, good cash flow that allows you plenty of cushion and the ability to replenish those reserves fairly quickly, if needed, is important..Good luck on your projects, and looking forward to talking to you more at the next meetup if you can make it!

In my opinion, the biggest impact is that they're limiting your ability to pick up additional units at below market prices.

You have all aided in my abilities to pursue my dreams.

I'm spoiled by the ability to drive one hour north and be in the carpet capitol of America.

More advanced college institutions (I went to college in Indiana, but got to admit not many places have Caltech, Stanford and the top rated public system UC, which is 10 schools all in one state) and ability to tap into the brain economy (i.e. tech) can't be discounted either.You definately have to buy only in certain times here though and it is tough to find cash flowing deals.