Other than than if you have excellent credit its 25% down.If it needs rehab work it will open up a can of worms if its "Subject to" and cannot pass appraisal/inspection. 

If anything was bought in the great recession, then yes that was excellent preparation but absolutely excellent luck too. 

Or for the most part are we doomed to Excel spreadsheets?

This is an excellent market for growth and low crime.

Their commercial loan department is excellent to work with and they are willing to help you with all your financing needs!

VA Loans / House Hacking is typically an excellent strategy

We have been using Flip It with excellent service and communication. 

You mentioned getting a property manager (which is excellent) but you might consider having a good resident help the property manager/ you with getting feedback on the property activities at night. 

It's an excellent market and I agree to bank on appreciation, provided your time horizon is north of 10 years and ideally greater than 15.

It’s an excellent spot for flipping properties aimed at middle-income buyers.Each of these zip codes offers different advantages depending on what you’re looking for in terms of community, property type, and investment scale.