A property manager may be a hard egg to crack but once cracked (built trust or relationship), they can open many doors since they can be your advocate and have access to many homes.this is the case with apartment complexes.   

She will get a nice surprise next week when I show up at her door to (a) announce that I am her new property manager and (b) notify her that I will update her information with the collection agency she's been hiding from.Screen your applications, people!

And from there, you will be knocking doors, sending fliers, cold calling, networking with wholesalers, scouring Craigslist and FB marketplace, all the MAYBE find a deal.  

For an OOS investor, I would recommend looking at Kansas City as one of my CFO clients also manages 100+ doors for OOS investors and knows the market very well.

You and the wife could live in 1 side and you could rent the other doors out.

added 2 walls, added an eyebrow porch, removed an exterior door.  

that we’ve learned in our 24 years, managing almost 700 doors across the Metro Detroit area, including almost 100 S8 leases:Class A Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+ (roughly 5% probability of default), zero evictions in last 7 years.Class B Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680 (around 10% probability of default), some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 yearsClass C Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.

If that's the case look into finding a handyman, and make sure to shop around for the best price.Stuff I have ran into:lost keys/lockpicking [hired]broken washer [fixed myself]shower door [fixed myself]AC clogged [hired]Microwave broken [replaced myself]holes in the wall [fixed myself] Thank you!

Tenants were ecstatic that I have been fixing things that were neglected for years and based on units in Clinton trading for about $200k a door, the property will likely appraise for 750k+ Lessons learned?

that we’ve learned in our 24 years, managing almost 700 doors across the Metro Detroit area, including almost 100 S8 leases:Class A Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+ (roughly 5% probability of default), zero evictions in last 7 years.Class B Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680 (around 10% probability of default), some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 yearsClass C Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.