Seek out markets that demonstrate population growth, job growth, and favorable average household income within a five-hour radius of your location.Now, here's a reality check: as investors, we must strike a balance between emotional attachments and data-driven decisions.

The home has a tremendous amount of character but it's all traditional, dating back to the '60s.

If its truly being driven by tenant usage then maybe sub-meter, but there is probably something else going on like a leak, faulty meter, or a poorly run municipal water department (my hunch is that its the later).  

The Asian community by and large is well educated highly driven and is nuts about Real Estate and owning it.

Assuming your property is up to snuff in terms of condition and amenties, it is purely rate driven.

The internet has driven so many investors to the same thing!

My husband would never have driven 25 minutes out of his way to meet her at her office and then drive 25 minutes back to our original neighborhood to see a house. 

After that, if I really wanna keep at it, my next focus would be finding homeless men of good character with absolutely nothing and nobody in the winter chill and making them my employees and possible business partners.

These people will be your partners - make sure integrity, character, etc are required values to join the group.

So you do get a durable surface, slight imperfections are "character", and you can do it over a laminate top.