As you might have heard philly is very block by block with even the best neighborhoods having worse areas, while you can find gems in the bad areas.

@Alberto Medina I think you may be running into an unintentional road block.

New businesses are opening on Britton in the 900 west block (coffee shops, art galleries, barbers, etc).

When I first moved to Miami at the end of 2004, I used to get my hair cut about a block west of 95 on 62nd.

Driving through the neighborhood I felt safe and fell in love with the block this house was on.

I bought it at the perfect time and found the right block to invest in (very important in this neighborhood).

@Matthew Cassidy My city added parking spaces to a branch library using concrete grid looking blocks filled with gravel...looked kind of like thin breeze blocks or cinder blocks with an x pattern (I think) laid like pavers and filled with gravel.

Depending on the neighborhood it might mean within 1-2 blocks. 

The current rent is $595, a house of similar profile about two blocks away is renting for $750 so I believe the rent is low currently on the property we are looking at. 

After a few months of putting in offers, I am now under contract in a great little rental one block from my primary house.