The overall trend of the 10-year treasury appears to be downward reflecting as well right now, with the most recent high of 4.8% on 1/13/2025 failing to touch the previous high of 4.98% on 10/19/2023 and now sharply falling to 4.62% today (1/24/2025).

Personally, I would never invest in a place I didn't even visit and also meet/interview the people who would be involved (agent, manager, contractor, etc.)

If you cannot live in one then talking to a lender would be good for other options. 

Think about where those people hang out and network. 

Ideally, you network with people who have owned properties for a long time.

And there are many possible ways that can be resolved and most don't involve hiking up property taxes so high that most people can no longer afford to be a landlord. 

But then again I’m not too good at people management.  

We like the approach of helping people to create good notes that we would be interested in buying if they decide to sell. 

If you understand how to screen very well, communicate with them respectfully and can somehow understand the dynamics of the community, you will be ok.

They have always returned principal when requested in the past, as well.