Even if you could count on the 5% increase per year you mentioned, I would be shocked if your taxes and insurance increase per year was less than that.Roof 2 years old might need to be replaced within 10 years, water heater and HVAC may not need to be replaced, will sill surely need a number of maintenance events, ...all of which will increase your cash costs, and delay the cash return. 

I wouldn't be shocked if there's a political motive, but I definitely think it has to do with worries about the economy in general. 

Sometimes you'll get a pleasant surprise.

I'm shocked to see $995. 

Hell when you pull back the curtain most people would be shocked to realize that all those prim and proper super nice 50 year old lady Realtors that seem so nice; those ladies are some of the most cut throat sharks in the game.

Our realtor said she was shocked and so was I.

You’d be shocked by how little actual screening many PMC’s do!

I'm not super familiar with TX, but an area of Louisiana that I work is currently in a reassessment year and a lot of people I know are getting sticker shock from tax increases. 

So until supply loosens buyers will be forced to get creative and pay up.I don’t think it’s the overall crazy demand like you’ve seen in single families driving up prices- there is just literally almost zero double inventory.I did three doubles last year and still shocked I picked them up at decent prices in Lakewood.

Some townhomes are like $250,000 and rent is still $2000+.Where I’m from, a $400,000 house would probably rent for about $2000 so I was pleasantly surprised to see how much more rent you can get per dollar, is this pretty standard or am I missing something about Freeport?