I have seen plenty of posts discussing growth in the area and some basic analysis shows that properties are certainly priced favorably (price to rent ratio, etc.) when compared to my home market.

@Javier Perez, I understand that insurance where you are is outsized compared to other markets, but that's not the only factor when considering the difference.With a condo you still have to hold insurance on the unit and you're paying for the complex's master policy through your HOA.

Your gonna need "boots on the ground" in other markets so it's not something you can do solo.

The houses are built above the ground.

Find a local bank or broker to work with or a hard money lender that offers long term rental financing.Get connected - Specifically with folks in your target market who will be your boots on the ground.

I have been comparing a few cities and am liking the way Columbus OH looks.

They were making the entire ground floor stink and other tenants were complaining. 

 I think you would need to compare apples to apples.  

We're looking at houses that just need a little work (mostly cosmetic, paint, floors, etc), and we've asked him to take a thorough look through the house, give his opinion on what needs to be done and put it in a spreadsheet with cost and timeline so we can compare properties.We're just not sure what we should pay for this type of service and in pricing negotiations now. 

I work a full time job and so does my wife so we're working on real estate on the side and aren't particularly wealthy so we're funding through frugality.Here's the situation.We live in ATX where buying property is generally expensiveRents are relatively low compared to Home Values and the 1% rule never ever comes close hereWe currently own 2 duplexes.