It sounds like you’re building a strong foundation to not only find promising deals but also make confident, informed decisions along the way.We’re thrilled to have you as part of the community and can’t wait to see the projects you take on.

@Shaan WashingtonAtlanta's outskirts offer affordability, growth potential, and strong rental demand.

And there are syndicators out there that have long, strong track records, that spend more time operating than marketing, that aren't selling their guru courses and the syndications are just social proof as to why you should spend $30k on their course.But the flip side of this risk is time.  

Be sure to attend your local REI meetups to build up a strong network and check out the forum topics specific to your goals.

Align yourself with several investor-strong agents or long-time agents with tons of connections.

Also, as you highlighted the tenant base is highly reliable, with strong employment, security clearances etc.

Smaller renovated Lakewood two families (less than 2000 sq ft) can be bought under $200K (sometimes under $175K) but rents potential much lower (e g $900 vs $1200 a unit)Clifton Edgewater (west of West Blvd, north of Detroit) and Kamms (area just south of Lakewood) along with Lakewood have always been strong areas and are priced at/near Lakewood (and to some extent share the same tenant base).  

Focus on properties that will have a strong rental market and a clear path to increase in value.Overleveraging:Some investors refinance and pull out too much equity, leaving them with little to no cash flow.

Even in landlord-unfriendly cities like NYC and San Francisco, major investors are drawn by strong demand, high population density, and historically stable property appreciation.

@Cory MeliousGiven the clear lease addendum and initialed acknowledgment of the rules, you’re in a strong position to recoup at least part of the repair costs from these tenants.