Seems that properties are relatively affordable and one of my friends bought his first investment property out there. 

A good friend of mine started a property maintenance company in Brooklyn, NY (super competitive market) and grew his database by showing up to development sites, following investors and developers on social media, introducing himself to local property owners, posting his day to day on Instagram, and following up with his database regularly.I also agree with everything @David Peschio and @Drew Sygit suggested here!

Sometimes the vertical pipes have been buried or broken off so some exploratory digging might be in order if your downspouts go into the earth.   

Hi everyone! I’m planning a short trip to Detroit in November (dates aren't set yet) and I’m looking to connect with a real-estate agent and a property manager who knows the local market well (especially neighborhoods...

On the other hand a friend owns their building and I suspect this is not good for him. 

Quote from @Michael Nguyen: I recently started a real-estate business with two partners and friends.

Lower taxes, more landlord-friendly laws, and plenty of value-add opportunities.Both markets can work really well — it just depends on your personal preference and what kind of investing style fits you best.

In the same breath, the tri-state area is far from investor friendly (at least from my POV).

Since your friend will be a silent investor, it’s usually cleaner to treat his $35k as a loan with a fixed return instead of a profit split.

Estrada: A good friend who has relocated suggested the following zip codes: 15212  15214  15233.I am also actively looking for next investment, so happy to continue the conversationGenerally don't want to go based off zip codes in Pittsburgh.