Learn how to evaluate sales and listings of similar homes in the same neighborhood yourself using Zillow, Redfin, or Realtor.com data.

While evaluating potential investment properties these past few weeks, I have realized that the average rent in Austin is comparatively lower and due to high interest rates and property tax, the outcome is mostly negative cash flow. 

Add to this fact that you will not have access to evaluate the condition of the property prior to sale unless you illegally break into it.

- I know in Florida there is a 4 system to be evaluated.

You could start by getting a soil scientist out to evaluate the land - he won't know exactly what it'll perc for without doing the test, but he will likely be able to tell you if it's a dead deal right out of the gate.  

Having confidence in your ability to evaluate the deal and that your numbers are accurate? 

@Mark Walker - There are no conventional "dscr" loans for SS and MHP; however, the actual metric still applies when evaluating the physical ratio performance of the asset classes.Private banks are really the way to go here and leverage is determined based on POH vs.

Evaluate your capacity for handling the costs associated with investing in and owning a home.

There may also be other creative financing alternatives available, such seller financing, partnerships, private money lenders, or utilizing the equity in your current home.Do extensive due diligence to evaluate a multi-family property's finances, condition, rental prospects, and market worth before making an offer.

Would building a fourplex from scratch yield favorable returns when evaluated against existing property options?