Underwriting a few specific properties side-by-side using conservative rent assumptions will usually clarify things faster than broad metro data. 

I suggest you search for wholesaling on BP or the internet.  

@Alex Olson anyone with internet can see that under $200k is literally the bottom of the barrel in KC, on the market since last summer and even after price reductions local investors will not touch it with a ten foot pole, because they know better.

But curious if anyone's found success (in STL market or more broadly) on establishing a quality partnership with a GC.Thanks!

Broadly, I think housing does the same thing.  

On the credit side, I’ve liked American Express Business Gold for Home Depot and repair spending because the points per dollar are strong, Discover when they offer 0% for 12 months to float improvements without pressure, and Chase Ink for everyday operating expenses like internet, utilities, and office supplies.

Knowing the micro-location matters more than broad market headlines.

I think the lack of this “race” is one of the few advantages I had investing without any guidance from the internet.

Understand that there are 3 main types of posters here:1) Vendors looking to trade helpful info to sell you something2) nonVendors with limited experience that think they know what they are doing3) nonVendors with lots of experience that have good info to shareYou should be careful of all of them as the #1 mistake they make is often trying to "fit a square peg into a round hole" - what worked for them/client may not be the best solution for you.Many will also often make broad statements that are worthless.Welcome aboard and good luck!

Well enough, this is how broad the application is.