I found that many of the leasing agents were very helpful when they knew that I was being honest and not just mystery shopping them and when they knew that I was not from a competing property since I had a small community. 

But even further, it was just something my mind never even thought about as if it was just too far and mysterious to know about. 

How much of that comes from appreciation or cash-flow is a mystery without reading their full-reports--a task I'd rather not perform.I'd further assume that if interest rates are still reasonable, and the math dictates it's still profitable, that they will just roll over the loans on these properties rather than sell them. 

If a buyer wants to remain a mystery they go BYE,BYE.If they cannot give me the courtesy upfront to show they are real then we do not proceed any further.I have had some people make a big deal about it that were worth 1 million meanwhile I have had others worth close to 100 million give me the PFS right away.PFS and bank statements a broker/agent will generally take you more seriously when they know you have the money.

This is not some mysterious questions with it depends answers.It's just math.If you pay of your house you avoid that 4% interest over 30 years. 

Because sellers are not some mysterious alien creatures you have to use some guessing and some special code message to make them react a certain way.Would all of you please stop treating sellers like this?

How people with blue collar jobs can afford to live there remains a mystery to me.

Ouch.. but we still made a bunch on it.. but those things happen.In one subdivision I was building in the neighboring builder went with the cheapo framer.. and when you went in the house it look like the TREES of MYSTERY house along the Northern CA coast.. yup built it out of plumb drop a golf ball at the back of the house and it will roll right out the front door on its own  LOL.. not sure how much he lost as he sold it as is.. but no one in there right mind would pay close to retail for that.

The stock market is not some giant mystery only for Wall Street.  

I did this deal many years ago and it took a fortune of cash.I worked *hit properties to get that cash.In your case, Jon, I'm going to be honest and say it is highly likely there's a mysterious allure to having a plan to buy a whole bunch of units 'way out there' as if you have discovered some really cool advantage that others have missed.