For some context, with MLS data, last year in Madison, the median sale price of a 3 bed, 1-2 bath home with under 2,000 sq ft above grade was $394,960 and average almost $419k and similar pricing in Dane County overall as buyers move out to surrounding communities in search of more affordable options.Milwaukee is a big market I am not that familiar with as I live in Madison, WI, but if you decide you have an interest in Rock County, prices can get in your price range in places like Janesville and Beloit, WI, but still mostly above $120k (median sale price last year in Rock Co with that home criteria was $253k, but sales did take place in your price range if you end up in that area of south central WI. 

It’s definitely doable, but you’ll need a rock-solid contractor and PM and ideally, someone on the ground who can verify the rehab quality and keep timelines in check.If you’re open to it, a turnkey rental in a strong Midwest or Southeast market might be a good first step.

Little Rock is miserable and Columbus is okay, maybe.  

In this business, whether you’re renting out a duplex in Columbia or a room in Rock Hill, one thing stays the same: you need to understand the law—cold.As someone who’s built my career managing, developing, and investing in property across South Carolina, I’ve seen what happens when landlords guess, tenants overstep, and managers fail to run things by the book.

So, Denver is pretty tough...but what about Castle Rock? 

The median price of a home across Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos was approximately $425,000 for a single family detached home in Q4 2024, which was down by 6.6 percent from August, 2024.

Coda: I told them they could kick rocks unless they identified what payment & lender it was, and that they could send me letters until I was dead and I'd sooner set $25 on fire in the middle of the lawn first.

Im in Little Rock, Arkansas.

I own and run property management business in Little Rock, Arkansas.  

It is very, very hard to cash flow in Oakland, Shadyside, Sq Hill, etc.It may be worth looking into some of the small schools in the surrounding areas such as IUP, Cal U (now known as Penn West), Slippery Rock, etc.