I have a Masters in Real Estate Finance and Bachelors in Finance and Marketing, and am happy to discuss the merits of those paths with anyone considering them.Outside of real estate activities I enjoy automobiles and motorcycles, and try to spend my spare time at car meets (like Katie's Cars and Coffee) or on back roads on my Aprilia. 

I think it is easier as your knowledge and skill progresses to judge these merits, but that is for the experienced or semi-experienced.

Your strategy of accumulating properties, even while preferring to rent personally, is an interesting one and definitely has its merits depending on your long-term goals and market conditions.Regarding your question about down payments, it's true that the landscape of real estate investing has evolved, and strategies that were prevalent a few years ago might not be as beneficial today.

If it's not an amortization calculator youre looking for, say if you're trying to assess the deal's merits, you can use the BP Tools, specifically "Rental Property"

The Perfect Investment: Create Enduring Wealth from the Historic Shift to Multifamily Housing by Paul Moore - I enjoyed this because it outlines the merits of multifamily relative to other investment options.Podcasts:1.

Two things 1-The tenants attorney sent a letter to the PM who forwarded the letter to me stating that the tenant wanted to remain in the property and feels that this clause has no merit for termination.2-if the claim that I put in under the regular policy insurance does not cover the damages.

I kinda like getting right up close & personal so I don't put big gouges in the ceiling, but this has some real merit.

This rule of thumb might translate well in residential investing, but it has absolutely no merit in the commercial investing.Shortcuts lead to expensive mistakes as this example clearly indicates---nothing replaces due diligence and knowing the numbers… Regards,Scott MillerOriginally posted by "MikeOH":As a general rule, I would look for rentals that generate monthly rents of 2% of the acquisition cost (purchase price + repairs).Mike

There may be some merit in that route should you decide. 

There are merits on both sides to consider.