(Repairs, Utilities, Insurance.....not mortgage, not capital expenditures)It is an easy way to create an apples to apples comparison of the risk involved in an asset and market.

Ensure that you're comparing apples to apples as well, meaning the properties you use for comparison's sake should not only be of a similar style, size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms but should also be in similar quality to the level you intend to remodel your rental.If you are working with an agent and are trying to buy on market, they should be able to help with this.

Is the Little Apple a good student rental market?

If you don't have a good reason beside it looks cool on TV then you wont last.  

The rent comps that you are using; are they actually apples to apples?

After all renters would appreciate a 90” 8k TV right?

Other options: radio and TV advertising, social media ads, google keyword ads.Generally, those that are good at drumming up off market deals spend a lot of time and money advertising in various forms.  

I think it would help you to have an apples to apples comparison, looking at the numbers both ways.

The podcasts are on all the podcast apps like the native apple app or spotify, etc.  

If not, get this from them right away in order to compare apples to apples.