I wont be needing 70k upfront thats for sure, so it is a cheaper option for me.  

Is there a small town outside of a city/larger town where people tend to live because its cheaper?

In terms of taking on more liability, it boils down to what insurance will be less expensive and looking at what we are having to pay through the HOA (for insuring the aggregate of all units), it will likely be cheaper for owners to purchase individual HO3 policies to cover their units (as townhouses) as the carriers would not be taking on the risk of the entire $100M+ in aggregate replacement value, and the owners can take out policies for individual units with a whole range of carriers vs the HOA trying to get coverage through the secondary market.  

If I had gone with the cheaper one, the City would have me replace them with the upgraded one. 

I know white appliances are cheaper, but I know they can be stained and pretty gross looking after some time (if they're not being taken care of and continuously cleaned). 

This dichotomy leads to people being upset.You can find cheaper contractors on Facebook Marketplace or in groups as well. 

A 2-3br condo can be house-hacked as well and has got to be cheaper, but you may still be able to draw that $800-$1000/room.

When the thing dies (which is not nearly as far in the future as you may think, LEDs have been getting cheaper and shorter in lifespan) you will have to replace the entire fixture.Light bulbs exist for a reason, there is no reason to replace a fixture because the lighting portion failed.

A lot less cheaper and will command the same rental rate if purchasing and renovating is an option for you.  

I've been looking into cheaper markets that I'm familiar with, but unsure of the best route.