DC – have family, some work, and some good friends there, and the property is rented for 2+ years at a time to some very stable tenants. Going there occasionally is no big deal.

SD – fell in love with the area the first time I was out there in 2009. Buying something that may eventually make a good vacation pad (or perhaps that I can move to if I decide to go “west”), but can be rented right now and hopefully will go up in value as well. It’s a simple 1-bedroom unit in a relatively well-run complex. Electric heat, no central A/C, external hot water source. In short, very little to break, and the tenant will be signing a contract making repairs below $500 their responsibility.

NJ – it’s 30-40 minutes from where I live. No flying required, and right now the price is right.

Believe me, my madness may be intense, but there’s a small measure of method to it.