For trying to identify areas, it is good to understand a few basics: Median home value to income ratioPopulation growth trendsIndustries that your local area's economy is dependant on?

Hi All,After being a basic member of BP since March 2018 and listening to podcasts, webinars and reading BP articles, finally I took the next step, i.e. became a PRO member yesterday. 

Hi Ben, I basically have a mentor and friend, who also happens to a realtor and quite a successful landlord himself, handling management for me (single family rentals), and he's been amazing.

Hi Cory, I definitely think that learning the basics about all of the different niches would serve you very well.

It is also much easier to qualify as an RE professional if the person striving to be an RE professional does does not have other full time employment. https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2010/08/04/basics-of-real-estate-professional-status-tax-irs/If we do two units of rehab in a year (each rehab likely takes a few hundred hours as the hours add up fast), then the wife qualifies fairly easy as an RE professional when combined with her usual RE duties.  

@Jeff Mills the basic problem with rents in that range: $450, is that variable expenses quickly eat up any profit.

Your question is basically, "what can I pile on?"

The basic underlying factors of large downpayments and higher borrowing costs by either homepwners or investors never changes.

Sorry If thIs Is pretty basic, but I’m currently looking for a rental in the Midwest and am wondering some of the best strategies for building out a team (Property management, contractors, etc) while here in Portland, OR.

You basically said the same thing tied to the owner or the property is the same.