As far as scouting locations, I only buy within ten miles of a college (I currently own in Austin near the University of Texas and in Blacksburg near Virginia Tech) because students keep those rental markets nearly recession proof. A quick way to confirm this is by researching whether a town’s rental rates and property values dipped in 2008. Just Google “property data” + 2008 + the city or county in which you’re looking to buy. Browse the results until you find the Property Search Map.
