My assumption is the interest portion is always highest in the early years and gradually reduces to 0.

Beyond that, you need to be sure your comps are reasonable for what they would be getting if they moved, then start doing some gradual raises. 

It sounds like you didn't, but should have gotten an official inspection done, at least when you saw the mold that you saw, and it would have outlined other potential issues, like the leak, that you could have used to lower the asking price.The people were there 10 years, based on what I have seen, people tend to get used to certain things that are uncomfortable over time...and they may have been used to the leak or the mold or whatever....or maybe they didn't notice because it was a gradual occurrence. 

If you really can't stomach a slightly negative cashflow for the first couple of years (until you gradually raise rents), then you should focus on investing somewhere outside of NYC (maybe NJ, CT, or slightly upstate like Albany). 3.

Gradually we changed our styles. 

Hi Adrian,I have recently moved to Warsaw and gradually starting to shop around with brokers and the community.

It's a very smart way to gradually build a portfolio....Happy Investing

@Vincent Crane you set me up for a selfish plug of www.eliteapartmentcoaching.com -- started as a client there.Investors started with immediate network and have gradually grown and expanded year over year.  

Buying a 2-family will be better in the long term because your rental revenue will increase gradually, and so will your property's price appreciation. 

Or, to get even more gradual, what would be the average appreciation for the type of properties you're looking at?