Any futuristic ideas / predictions, particularly regarding land values/ prefabs?

If you are not able to add value in your active portfolio (or get predictable appreciation), 15-20% passive returns will be competitive or beat active investing, with much less work.What is also interesting is if you look at your post-rehab returns on your active portfolio (i.e. holding after the value add), they can be on par with a passive investment...but more work than a passive investment.

Please rank the following areas for highest predicted home value increase over next 2 years:EverettEast BostonDorchester (which area within Dorchester)South BostonWinthropRevereRoxbury

Thanks There would be two instruments, a note and a deed of trust or Mortgage. 

If they are halfway decent they will give you a break down of ROI on your purchase, and predict what rent will be after. 

There is a pull down for rent deposit, when you submit deposits.It appears that I might be in breach, since I had no idea how this instrument worked until now.

I have a lot of confidence of on-going short-term rent appreciation (next 5 years) but less confidence of significant on-going property appreciation (I expect a leveling off but am not real confident of any prediction).High end homes (bigger and more expensive) have worse cash flow than middle class or working class homes.Note a small multiplex or your 16+ unit will experience similar rent and property appreciation to your SFR and have better initial cash flow (it will be poor initial cash for San Diego but increase with the rent appreciation).To summarize, SFR are not the best buy n hold investment option in San Diego. 

And yeah, that's one variable I don't feel like I have the info to predict - and won't until I've watched how this auction plays out (and probably more after that to get a better understanding).   

What method would you use to find historical rates or predict the future property tax?

Stress-test your worst-case assumptions (other than the zombie apocalypse, which no one can predict).