If you are looking for cashflow but not in a "war zone", I would start off with C grade areas that have been trending upwards (Part of Kennedy Heights, College Hill, Mt Healthy, Cheviot, Etc. 

TroutmanDevelopment Boom: Growth fueled by the LKN State Park expansion and influx of new residential developments.Population Growth: Seeing strong in-migration from Charlotte metro.Investment Watch: Ideal for early appreciation plays as infrastructure builds out.Investor TakeawayIredell County continues to be a strong performer in the Charlotte MSA, with a healthy balance of appreciation and rental income potential.

A healthy spread provides a cushion, ensuring the project remains profitable even if things don’t go perfectly.Execution Reward: A tight spread (e.g., 50 basis points) means your equity is working overtime for minimal gain.

Installing a sprinkler system with a programmable timer and drip irrigation for flower beds ensures that your landscaping stays healthy without relying on tenant upkeep.

The down payment is only the opening bid—infrastructure fixes can arise quickly, so lining up contractors early, maintaining healthy reserves, and resisting seller pressure to distort our numbers were crucial.

Despite global tensions, rents remained reasonably stable.Rentals - Availability by MonthThe number of homes for rent continued to decrease MoM, in line with our expectations.Rentals - Median Time to RentAs expected with all the volatility, time to rent increased slightly MoM, but still at a healthy 22 days.Rentals - Months of SupplyThere is only one month of supply for our target rental property profile.

If the market was healthy, state-sponsored insurers would not be a thing.

Lack of experience isnt necessarily a problem so long as the competence is clearly there and there are healthy margins of safety in the deal. 

A well-timed, well-explained increase can keep your property healthy without putting your tenant relationships at risk.One of the ways we stay on top of it is to offer detailed rent reviews and market evaluations for all our clients, so they can be sure where their rents stand—if you're concerned about how to navigate an increase—you may want to talk to a local property manager who has their fingers on the pulse of the market.

I did a 15 year on an investment property - most will say do 30 and pay extra, its really a personal decision - if you are financially healthy and have very little risk with the extra payment you get a lower rate so go 20 years, but just recognize that equity is typically trapped in the property.