If you are interested in buying a home, paying for a building inspection is always a good idea. Next, ask about empty fields, or empty lots. Stop by the planning and zoning office for a map. Strike up a conversation with the help and get the inside information as well as the official line. Check out neighborhoods that are starting to revive.
Most areas have cycles.
They start off wonderfully. The population ages, the neighborhood may get slightly tacky. Young people start to buy as the older folks move to warmer climates. Typically, you see room additions, and improved landscaping. That might be a place of growth.