Even still, it could be said that I've still lost money due to my time on the tools instead of prospecting as a real estate agent (the cost of lost opportunity).If you can truly do 80%-90% of the work yourself (at acceptable quality levels) and you aren't sacrificing your time where you can get better returns for your efforts, then yes, it can work even up here in Canada.

Which means they are probably advertising new Deals all the time even though their prior offers are collapsing.  

I believe in putting in the work—1,000 hours of research, testing, and learning—before offering advice, and I’m excited to tap into the collective wisdom of this community to refine my approach.Here’s where my head is at: I’m considering strategies like short-term rentals (Airbnb) for higher cash flow, long-term rentals for steady income, or even creative options like house hacking or partnerships to stretch the funds further.

You can still find single-family homes in the $80k–$100k range and duplexes in the $130k–$150k range, even in C and C+ neighborhoods that are seeing steady improvements.

My goal is to diversify with an investment that generates steady cash flow, even if it requires a larger upfront investment and lower overall returns. 

With 20 properties, you’d build a nice, diversified income stream over time.Why Choose It: Low entry barrier, easier to pivot if a deal goes sideways, and you can scale at your own pace.Challenges: It’s time-intensive—sourcing 20 good deals takes hustle, and managing scattered properties (even with a system) can feel like herding cats.

Also, focus on 2 years of job/income stability.Class D Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, all cashflow with little, maybe even negative, relative rent & value appreciationVacancy Est: 20%+ should be used to cover nonpayment, evictions & damages.Tenant Pool: majority will have FICO scores under 560 (almost 30% probability of default), little to no good tradelines, lots of collections & chargeoffs, recent evictions.

BiggerPockets also has a calculator to analyze deals, and I highly recommend you start this as soon as possible, even if you are not ready to buy.

I'm seriously considering trying to find something there, but need to build up my knowledge and contacts of reputable agents and contractors etc.I'm interested in multi-family, STRs, commercial, self storage, and possibly even flips if the right opportunity came up.

I purchased an STR a little over a year ago and my goal is to make it the best STR in our area before I even consider purchasing a 2nd STR.