Have you thought about the types of properties you want to invest in and the strategy you want to use to make a profit via said property?

One side of the highway can be more profitable than the other. 

Values drop, sometimes drastically, rents go down as quality of tenant declines; cost of operstimg properties increase, and governmental interference, especially in the form of rent control, can slash values and profitability severely. 

Turnovers crush profits, so I keep these people in for cheap and they don’t bother me for much.

This guidance is essential in a market where not every property will yield profitable results.Furthermore, having a reputable lending partner can enhance an investor's credibility with sellers and real estate agents.

Down the line you can start looking at DSCR loans for your properties, or even I/O (interest only) DSCR loans, however you'll need to prove to lenders that you not only know what you are doing, but that your method is also profitable.

Favorable Fees and Profit Splits4.

@Jesse LeBlanc, I still don't see what the point of any arrangement the seller/borrower and the lender had was.The only thing I can GUESS is that by overpaying the lender grossly, they will receive that residual money after January 1st and be able to book the profits in a different tax year.

If the rent covered those three and PITI (or other expenditures like Management), and gives you a profit/return you're okay with, done deal.

I think it depends on 1) what kind of profit/loss you’d make if you sold it and 2) whether fixing repairs and replace the siding would increase the next tenant’s rentI hope that helps some!