Commercial property in TX, Looking to do a straight option with a purchase date no longer than 4 years from the signing.

@Stone JinThank you for clarifying.Seems to me that would be very straight forward transaction because you are selling the properties to them, then doing your own 1031.  

Straight mortgage 30 year but since I knew I wasn’t going to keep it I negotiated a higher interest rate for less money down and buyer credits at the table which saved $1000s How did you add value to the deal?

Pretty straight forward you have damage "inside" the walls and you have insurance.  

The property tax I got straight from the MLS listing.

I do not like to sync calendars automatically between the two as I don’t trust it to work 100% of the time and keeping your calendar straight is probably the most important thing you can do (there are a lot of “most important things” but having a double booking is a complete nightmare).

Run the numbers.Based on your scenario of $500/month, $6k/yr & an $60k property (low end):1 - It would take you 10 years, if all goes perfect, before you got your money back...and then invest in the next property, where...2 - You would immediately fall behind by another $80k (assuming after 10 years, $60k property now costs $84k), and it would take 6 more years ($7k x 2 properties) to break even again, before you invested in another property (assuming all has gone perfect for 16 straight years now...not going to happen).3 - After the 2nd property is made whole again, you buy your next (3rd) property, and you would immediately fall behind by another $105k (property now costs $105k), and it would take around 5 more years ($7.5k x 3 properties) to break even again, before you invested in another property..Let's take stock of where you would be at this point. 

All my best tenants pay cash. my personal feeling $800 in cash is real money, when other tenants deposit straight into a account doesnt feel the same. 

My question to you experienced investors is this: with 20/20 hindsight, if money weren't an issue when you were starting out, would you have gone straight for the big deals (8-50 unit multi-family), or do you think it's more prudent to go the slow and steady SFR route?

Given the market here in the Bay Area, straight out buying homes or having a substantial downpayment would be difficult as well-at least in our situation.How did you get started?