I tried attending one in my local market a couple of times but felt like I was in some hotel ballroom being pitched on how the 12 year-old kid up in front would teach us all how to run to the back of the room to swipe $10K on our AMEX for the secrets of real estate investing.

If market appreciates you can get a HELOC on it or cash out refi in a few years to scale faster.

Through loopholes there are many home owners that are illegal immigrants, if they get deported , what will happen to their homes?

Many of these lenders allowing 2nds behind them are more expensive capital (10's - 13's in our current market [high rates - but now showing signs of coming down]).

But I'm starting to wonder if and when some appreciation resumes, and if and when market will dictate rent increases.Appreciate any opinions - thanks

In this area, market values hit around $4.95 million, giving you a solid 131% ROI.

There is a ton of DD to do on a MF property, are you doing an environmental study, a reserve study, analyzing the T-12, market study to show there is room to increase rents (of course every seller states rents are underpriced)... 

I have gotten two very good clients that way.. this way I dont spend a dime on marketing they come to me :)

What markets are you looking at?

This will help you close deals faster.Focus on marketing and lead generation to find motivated sellers—direct mail, driving for dollars, and online marketing all work well here.Know your numbers—being able to accurately assess the value of properties and make solid offers is key.Network with other investors and professionals—attend local REI meetups, connect with title companies, and build relationships with hard money lenders.Feel free to reach out if you ever want to chat more or exchange ideas!