Do a background check with emphasis on credit score.

Generally speaking too much emphasis is put on cash on cash returns and IRR instead of looking at how all the aspects of the business affect your personal situation. 

My macro bet is on the waning desire of the American dream of home ownership and more emphasis on being mobile through renting.

Jameson Hooton The intent of your question is good.Some would argue that Return On Time Invested (ROTI) is just as important as Return on Investment (ROI).I think putting more emphasis on ROTI makes more sense when you make the switch from real estate investing being just a hobby to real estate investing being a business.Some would argue that buying a turnkey property is overpaying because you are buying someone else’s flip.

Hello,I have an older brother (i'm one of 11) that owns 147 acres (yes i said acres) of raw land down in Hancock, GA. Oddly he is building one single family house at a time and to make matters worse, he is spending hi...

If I was in your situation (and I have been) I'd put the emphasis on buying the property I wanted to live in. 

There is just not a huge push or emphasis to own property anymore amongst people my age.

It's just like if you have a generalist commercial attorney that does not have a deep emphasis on retail properties they can make costly mistakes.I help clients nationally buy NNN properties and it's my specialty.

The first lines of defense in my mind are (1) buy smartly (emphasis on cash-flow), (2) don't over-leverage yourself, (3) carry a healthy reserve (I typically set aside 6 months of expenses for each property), and (4) only invest in markets that meet your particular risk/reward tolerance.

(Emphasis on they)