Tenants, "go into Holiday-mode" and start spending disposable income (and racking up their credit cards) on Thanksgiving feasts & trips, Xmas presents & trips, and finally NYE plans.3) Income Tax Refund checks start being received towards the end of February and corresponding, the rental market starts picking up again as tenants payoff their “Holiday Hangovers".4) Spring Fever starts, sometime in April-May, causing both sales & rental markets to start picking up.

I want to spend more time with family while growing my portfolio.

For instance, if you make $500 in cashflow a month but you spend an additional $1000 for rent are you really ahead? 

She wanted me to spend money hiring an electrician to certify something that was not a real issue. 

It's a high end property and should be expensive but it's not providing high end amenities that people want when they are spending 3-4x the median home price. 

If you want to rehab in that market, perhaps spend some time networking there and maybe you will find someone whom you can partner up with who has experience in the local market and with rehabs.

This doesn't mean you should be looking at markets such as Detroit and Memphis, because even though it looks good on paper, if they are shady neighborhoods, you are going to spend a considerable amount more on property preservation (broken windows, stolen HVACs, etc.).The easiest way to increase cash flow would be on your existing property.

Spend tens of millions at a crack in second tier cities or smaller and you disrupt the entire market.

Moneywise, one may spend $5000 in marketing (posting ads, buying lists, paying VA to male cold calls and etc.) before one closes a deal.

It is where I can spend the money to make it my own rather than taking a cuter home for more and still wanting to spend $$ to make it my own.