Of course. I don’t know why I wrote rent control, but I would never want to buy in a location that either is, or is likely to go rent control. I guess around here you’d want a somewhat upper middle class area that is gentrifying up. Because a lot of middle class areas are headed down in socioeconomic levels. And that is where, in the future, politicians will come whoring for votes by stagnating rents.
Some years ago when mrs abb & I began planning all the things you are contemplating, I tried to read anything and everything I could on personal finance. I figured I had to learn it for myself, because it was our money. Subscribed to Money magazine & Changing Times, bought several books from Business Book Club and read them all.
This was in the days before the internet came along - late 80s and early 90s.
Out of all of it, I would recommend regular reading of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine (formerly Changing Times). Down to earth, written in a plain fashion, and time-tested advice.
Most of their stuff is online, if you want to save the subscription cost.
One other thing that has been invaluable to us is a detailed budget. ALL income and ALL expenses documented and put in a spreadsheet. That way, we could predict with some degree of comfort what future expenses we would face, based on past lifestyle.