Most in this age group think about retirement and outliving their retirement savings.So when I like to do in my marketing is to talk about installment sales or getting payments for your equity instead of a lump sum.The IRS allows homeowners to sell their house on installment sale, which means taking payments for your equity.   

I just retired from owning insurance agency for 28 years in Texas.  

I have the ability to borrow up to $48k from my retirement plan.  

This should narrow your search to only a few states.Each state as a limited number of viable cities since you need only look at cities that are sufficiently large so that there is a stable (and growing) population.

Vacation rental them for the next 10 years or so - then sell to friends for an instant fun retirement community.

While going through the Homepath site looking at their properties I saw that as of 10.6.14 they will be 'retiring' the home path program.  

I started with self directed IRA funds and still using that resource to build up our retirement income.

the total rents are 1,4000 per month (dplx) taxes are 3,700 a year. water 70 a month maint 75 per monthinsurance 75 a month the neighborhood is good and the tenant base is very stable ( B level tenants)what suggestions would you have or additional information needed?

I am basically a retired corporate real estate exec, but am currently a licensed real estate agent, selling commercial real estate, however, I am also interested in residential fix and flips for my own portfolio.  

It is not rural rural and the job market is stable, so people can afford moderately priced homes.So my question is to the experienced flippers, what do you look at when researching a market?