Rockford seems to be improving, but what areas are a "no go" for buy and holds?

Thanks @Max Emory & @Jake BakerI am in the process of test driving Stessa to see if it helps with improving my efficiency on the property management side, including keeping track or insurance, property taxes, maintenance etc.

A good Accountant or Bookkeeper will work with you to tie out all your accounts and let you know any issues or advice as it comes up throughout the year.I would be more than happy to chat with you more about your finances, I was one of the few Bookkeepers to be invited to BiggerPocket's Financial Service offers and have been working with them on ways to improve it as I help more and more investors with their Books. 

Do improvements while living there.You can technically do this every 12 months, or as soon as you can save up your next down payment.You can also buy 2-4 unit properties and use FHA to put only 3.5% down.

What strategies are you considering to improve your flipping process?

In my opinion this area is priced low and after improvements values will go up.  

If you can find an affordable way to get a degree it should hopefully improve your earning potential.

Share your experiences and stories—your tips might inspire others to improve their own spaces!

With a team, even if you’re paying salaries or commissions, you could close 25 deals a month.From there, increase your marketing, improve your SEO, and keep spending money to make (far more) than you spend.Keep scaling and tweaking until one day, you realize a steady stream of leads is coming in through your SEO efforts.At that point, you can turn off your paid marketing and enjoy the highest-quality leads for free—without lifting a finger.Let me know if you have any concerns or questions!

You cannot finance more than what wouldve been available in the initial purchase or use any improved value or new appraisal to increase the loan amount.