that we’ve learned in our 24 years, managing almost 700 doors across the Metro Detroit area, including almost 100 S8 leases:Class A Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+ (roughly 5% probability of default), zero evictions in last 7 years.Class B Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680 (around 10% probability of default), some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 yearsClass C Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.

Recommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.

We learn to build relationships with people and companies.

My wife and I also own the only interior design company specifically for real estate investors, Ivory Home.

The company is looking at charging %25 which seems like highway robbery.   

It also allows the manager to work directly with the insurance company to resolve issues efficiently.In Texas, this is part of the standard Texas Board of Realtors Property Management Agreement and is considered an industry best practice.

I use standard market PM rates in my underwriting, but I also would not work for those rates but it is fair compensation for the work.I typically use vacancy of 5% not because I have ever had a unit that had that high vacancy but I do not have a no payment category and I want the underwriting to be conservativeon the opposite, your rate is a bit high and your appreciation rate and rent growth are modest.overall, seems like a decent attempt at an analysis.  

As a realtor, investor, and owner of a construction company down the road in College Station, TX.

But you knew the local landfill/trash incineration company had been given the ok to build a massive facility in 3 years.

While this is a great and highly motivating goal, most people are either clueless or incorrect in their belief as to what is required to obtain this “lifestyle”.Understanding of the “how to” get there is further obscured by the misleading, and often patently false “pathways” sold by real estate educational MARKETING companies as workshops, upsold to association memberships, upsold to mentorships.