-- Right now I'm interested in class A/B suburban markets outside of NYC.NY can potentially be a good fit for your goal of building equity.According to Zillow, San Diego is the only major metro area with property value growth higher than NY since last year.

Getting clear on what you want will help you narrow down to cities that are potentially a great fit for what you're looking for. 

Listening to so many people on YouTube its hard to know which one is correct or not etc, as well the excel cash flow matrix tool.

I'm looking at purchasing a rental in North Carolina, I have Excellent credit (800+) and money for the down payment..

Local bank or credit union would be the best fit on a deal this size.

Nathan's comment offers an excellent starting point.

I've done an excellent job at meticulously tracking everything, so I feel comfortable with the "monitor closely to see what a stable asset looks like" strategy.

The relatively low initial investment combined with Chattanooga’s rising real estate market presented an excellent opportunity for a quick, profitable turnaround.

I used them for many years when we only had a few properties - it is excellent for that niche.  

Please give me feedback as this doesn't quite fit into typical calculators and I'm not confident with my current calculations.I have signed an off-market Agreement of Sale (executory contract) on a property in the Phoenix suburbs.