Particularly for your first few properties, I'd highly recommend that you manage the property yourself (if possible), but that's usually only possible (or most effective) if you live near the property or visit it frequently.

The market is flooded with rentals, and the ripple effect is driving higher end properties' rent rates down.

I'm currently exploring the world of real estate investing and have become particularly interested in the role of private money lending within this space.What strategies have you found most effective in securing private loans for real estate deals?

Being proactive and staying focused on the long term picture can often be a more effective approach, even during uncertain times.For those of you who have weathered different market cycles, what strategies have you used to navigate periods of market uncertainty?

I believe that the extra burden from tariffs will probably dampen the positive effects of lower corporate taxes as a shot term trend, potentially leading to slower project initiations.

Effectively no, otherwise everyone would do it and there would be no rent controlled buildings.If the property becomes vacant there are scenarios you can remove it from rent control. 

I also usually compound the return by reinvesting my payments, so the present 12% fund effectively returns 14.38% which is pretty awesome.  

The land might allow that us to do a separate apartment complex, but we thought that mixed used to put the some apartment above the MOB would be a cost-effective approach from a $/sq ft perspective. 

They want the cash flow now but aren't worried about the side effects of the quick fix or lower tier asset.

This would effectively cover your mortgage and significantly reduce your living expenses.