1% Rule - Realistic?

[Bryan Beal]

I know we're all read about the 1% when it comes to real estate investing.  For those who don't know what it means, it goes like this -

• A property that costs $100,000 should rent for at least $1,000 per month
• A property that costs $200,000 should rent for at least $2,000 per month
• A property that costs $300,000 should rent for at least $3,000 per month

So on and so forth.  

The markets I'm in (and feel like I'm successful in), these numbers are very difficult to attain - specifically when you get about $150,000 purchase price. Granted, I focus in the SFR territory so I'm sure it's more attainable in multi-unit deals but I seem to settle more in the 0.7-0.8% realm. Is this more of a rule of thumb for multi-unit deals? Should this also apply to SFRs? Any input would be greatly appreciated!