The properties are cheap for a reason.

Thanks Paul,I've found quite the opposite.We buy lists and cold call, buy cheap, renovate fair and sell for market value.I see investors buying crap on the MLS, spending too much on rehab and are into the property for 30% more than they would be if they just bought turnkey.But that's in my market at least.For example, we are selling B class for sub $100,000 and I'm seeing folks buying D class for $80,000 (That needs work).It's mind boggling to me and for the first time in 10+ years it got me thinking the market will go to $%@ if this keeps happening.You mentioned "No wonder we go for realtor-contractor-PM self-help way rather than blindly trusting a one-stop-shop to make the most for us".This in my opinion isn't true turnkey.It's a hybrid model that I see many doing and who is to blame if things go South?

Another cheap piece of mind for the newer buyer in the market who has been an apartment dweller their whole lives is to off to buy a 1-3 year Home warranty for them at settlement.

Not some cheap lacquer finish.Their soft close glides are from DTC.  

I've thought about buying on the high end of what I could afford (in highly desirable areas) in the hopes the property values will climb.Should I forgo financing entirely and buy something "cheap" that I can pay in cash or take a minimal mortgage on?

A house that cheap is going to be difficult to finance with traditional methods.

So, if you buy a property in a cheap market for $30k cash and invest $30k cash to rehab it and then it appraises for $80k after rehab you can refinance out your entire $60k investment and hopefully have a good cash-flowing rental. 

For me they used to cost about $100-150K. and for GA, it used to costs like $180-$250K..but I don't believe you can still buy these cheap houses in ATL area anymore, there might still be cheap houses to purchase in NEO (again, they don't appreciate that much at all).

6) Trying to deal with owners who find Craigslist contractors they want you to use because they have the cheapest prices, but you know they don't have insurance, won't get the job done on time and won't warranty anything - no matter what they say.7) Dealing with all the stress caused by multiple owner & tenant calls because no job can ever be done fast enough for a tenant or cheap enough for an owner!

If you try to match, it will look like you tried to match and you were too cheap to install new ones.