This is much more persuasive than a lump sum.  

I'm rather persuasive so even though a 5% return on a couple grand isn't the best, it is still better than a .1% interest wasting in a bank account.

Some people have personal management challenges and even serious issues (hoarding,etc) that even most persuasive landlord can't overcome.You might appeal to the neighbors' interest in keeping up property values and your ability to get them "good neighbors". 

And I credit this to being able to write persuasive letters that clearly outline my case.

What I found most persuasive, though, was your idea that this is a potentially attractive business for someone to buy at some point.

I gave so much space to this family (bad bad credit and he was smooth/persuasive talker), but little did I know that he was a professional renter. 

Store credit cards are a waste of money once you get past their initial rewards for opening the account.The only really persuasive argument I've heard for keeping lots of credit cards in your wallet beyond the standard Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover assortment is for the purpose of travel hacking or some kind of rewards program.

@Scott Trench's book Set for Life has absolutely the most persuasive arguments I've ever seen for starting in a small multifamily, as you are planning to.

It does not always get immediate results but eventually, with persuasive prodding, they get the message and decide to move on.

For persuasion--Little Green Book of Getting Your Way-Jeffrey Gitomer,..