Before you get started in this wild ride of real estate investing please take some time to read the Ultimate  Beginners Guide right here on BP.

Take a wild guess as to how close they were in price?

Jason, Sorry for the wild goose chase...

For the investment home, given our income and savings, we could simply purchase a duplex out in Long Island, which, in a lower class neighborhood, could be had for $300k-$400k, and rent out for $4-$5k a month total.Or, on the much cheaper end of the spectrum, I've been looking MFHs in Northeastern Pennsylvania, that go for under $100k and rent out for about $1k-$1.5k total (the best of these properties that I've crunched the numbers on cashflow at about $500-$600 a month, after PITI and property mgmt fees, but before any CapEx).Obviously I like the cash flow numbers on the more expensive homes here, but since we're looking at buying a home for ourselves in the next couple of years, I'm not wild about having that much capital tied up.  

They compete with each other for the exact same pool of borrowers, so it's not probable that they will ever be wildly different (as essentially identical products), nor is it probable they will ever be exactly identical (due to competitive forces). 

Most notably, there are hail storms, areas prone to flash flooding and wild fires.

Traditionally the available financing is similar to a car loan, as it falls under the same collateral sector.Since these are personal property, they don't wildly appreciate in value, but can do so in certain markets as well as hold their value.

No one knows what, if anything, is happening in the future so to make decisions based on wild speculation would be even worse speculation.

It's a wild ride....Every.

So as was alluded to above the BRRR refi till you die have NO true equity in real estate camp.. those folks could be in for a wild ride if rents retreat .. or are forced to sell.