There's no right or wrong way to do this, just varying levels of risk and reward and YOU need to understand what they are for whatever strategy you choose. 

With broad, high-level criteria, you may be able to easily cross of a number of neighborhoods where the numbers simply do not make sense (assuming you already have your buy box nailed down).

Quote from @Gregory Wilson: This depends on what level of control you can exercise over the W-2 employer.

Covering a significant portion of my mortgage has been a great reward.Solution: My four levels of vetting have helped me find quality room-renters over the last 18 months.I think you already have the answers to your situation.

Everything else is a level of passivity vs. how much management and oversight you want.I will still have more active investments as well, but I think it's silly when passive income is referred to as part of say, multifamily.

The only way you can break that log jam right now is severely lowered fed rates, but the level of federal debt is such that they're in a no-win situation because there's going to be little appetite these days for buying 1% fed notes from overseas.The fed rates were kept too low for too long.

I was really hoping to get in on the ground level and grow with them. 

It will most likely need some level of TLC.

Residential assisted living is so interesting on so many ways, like:There are different levels of active to passive to invest.

Additionally, the commercial financing is very different at the professional syndication level.