When it came to return on investment, it was hard to beat owning property in the inner city. “You buy on the North Side because they ‘cash flow’ nicely,” said one landlord with 114 central-city units. “In Brookfield, I lost money. But if you do low-income, you get a steady monthly income. You don’t buy properties for their appreciative value. You’re not in it for the future but for now.”