When you say you want to prioritize cash flow over equity, you want to watch out for people honing in on that and selling you "good cash flow" deals which will be in D neighborhoods and will come with high capital expenditures and harder tenancies.

I am a complete rookie zero experience, zero properties and highly determined to get into multi-family investing.

that we’ve learned in our 24 years, managing almost 700 doors across the Metro Detroit area, including almost 100 S8 leases:Class A Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+ (roughly 5% probability of default), zero evictions in last 7 years.Class B Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680 (around 10% probability of default), some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 yearsClass C Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.

I won't just write them all here but I highly recommend contacting a qualified 1031 intermediary to walk you through the process.

If you rent in a high-crime area, I wouldn't suggest it.

Don't put a high list price based on what you want, needs to be based on solds

I have sold in California, took the cash and moved out of state (to Indiana) and highly regretted it - I didn't have a real estate investor mindset then.

Couple other things to consider, property / school taxes are high, and tenants have lots of rights.

@Nick HulmeMaking improvements to your primary to make it high quality enough to rent above market rents, rent it.

I can say in Detroit the wholesaler your talking to has most likely found that deal from 2-3 other wholesalers, they literally have to payout 2 - 3 other parties to get the deal and this is what the fees are high and the deal makes no sense.