My first rental I asked the guy at the closing table how much he usually got for rent and he told me he could pretty reliably get 300-400.

In almost all investments, you should have a solid base of reliable, cash-flowing, and hopefully appreciating assets before striking out into something new or riskier. 

Higher-quality areas attract tenants who are more reliable and tend to take better care of the property.

its most unfortunate that you had to go through this deception and theft from someone who is considered a professional in this business. we definitely appreciate you putting the warning out about this character. as hard as it is to find a reliable experienced contractor nowadays its even harder to find one that's not a crook and a liar and that's truly pathetic.   

You can run one-off searches for phone numbers and email addresses, and they often have promos for new users.Spokeo for Professionals: While not specifically real estate-focused, it’s a reliable option for finding contact info for individual property owners, especially for one-off searches.Forewarn: This is great for verifying contact details and gives a bit more intel on leads.

If your entity has several years of operating history and good and reliable financials, you may be able to find something. 

I would say keeping their crews busy is a must when there is always another investor who needs a good reliable contractor.

And you need your property occupied by a reliable tenant.

Through this journey, I’ve built strong relationships and developed valuable expertise in:Researching micromarkets and identifying comparables, potencial Accurately estimating construction or remodeling costs.Securing fast and reliable financing through partnerships with two top hard money lenders in Texas, offering competitive rates.I’m on this platform to connect with capital partners who are seeking an annual ROI of 12%-15%.

Be sure to do a thorough credit and background check, as well as a residence and employment verification.