Tough neighborhoods still, but plenty of fixer uppers and low cost plots make it ideal for scrappy individual investors looking to get started on the cheap.

If your goal is to keep acquiring investment properties, going the DSCR route for future purchases would be ideal, as they do not report on credit(with me, the lender of course). 

If it's standard for the landlord to pay, also no problem although not ideal.

Locate the properties with flip squad.

In such cases, the property should ideally function as a flip, benefiting from either market appreciation or improvements ("forced appreciation") to maximize its value. 

I'm looking to develop contractor garages, but ideally those would be slab on grade, so I couldn't do that everywhere without a lot of site costs.I'm new to this space, and looking to also get an idea of developing over fill and what that process looks like.

Trying to get an idea of what amenities are being sought, and ideal size of the spaces.

Ideally, the seller has no existing lien balances against the subject property, so that the down payment (less expenses and commissions) goes directly to their bank account.

And ideally you run the numbers of what these major expenses are likely to be (roof life expectancy, major systems, hvac, plumbing, siding, brick maintenance etc.)

I personally lean towards the multifamily route because I have a girlfriend and a dog which isn't ideal for a room by room rental.