Second, as you can see on this thread, some of our colleagues take a rather cowboy approach, and I disagree with their position.

Can try to reposition to Class B, but neighborhood may impede these efforts.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, but 15-20% should be used to also cover tenant nonpayment, eviction costs & damages.Tenant Pool: majority will have FICO scores of 560-620 (approaching 22% probability of default), many blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 2 years.

Do you mind elaborating on the consolidation versus liquidation approach?

Can try to reposition to Class B, but neighborhood may impede these efforts.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, but 15-20% should be used to also cover tenant nonpayment, eviction costs & damages.Tenant Pool: majority will have FICO scores of 560-620 (approaching 22% probability of default), many blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 2 years.

But here are some really interesting numbers...Ok so this one doesn't look too bad but notice how much more the townhouses and condos dropped in prices over the last downturn.2007 peak to now isn't so good...Before the 2007 run up to now is better, but even then, apartment condos performed the worse (so best case scenario, you have the worse performing asset type, worse case scenario you had a terrible return), and that's assuming you had nothing go wrong with the condo (special assessment etc)But benchmarks don't even tell the whole story, because if you had a specific condo investment, and you tracked it's value overtime, benchmark prices isn't the right approach as it evolves overtime (benchmark price is the price of a typical property generated at each point in time).

I’ve received a number of responses from investors essentially stating that they use a simple buy/rent/hold approach in small residential properties, and have accumulated net worths in the 1 - 3 million $ range starting with just one mortgaged SFR. 

When managing my own properties, I take the OPPOSITE approach to save time.

Will the 6% you agree to pay a Realtor be a good return on investment versus the Buyer pool that you get exposed to. 80% of buyers will use a realtor.Lastly, a few years back I had an agent approach me to list my home and he was willing to take a 2% commission.  He was a newer realtor and I had experience reviewing offers because I’m a full-time loan officer.

And if there is a smart way to approach this, I would like to know about it.

“Disheartening,” she said next, as they approached the familiar gate of the Cyprus Apartments, their former home.