Real estate sales have kind become slow this year.

Feel kind of non-sense that biggerpockets advertise multi-family a lot and there is no way to find the deals for that.

Talk to @Ash Hegde as he is based down here and maybe can advise a little better on the situation and what kind loan and rates you can get right now.

Cost Segregation is a commonly used strategic tax planning tool that allows companies and individuals who have constructed, purchased, expanded or remodeled any kind of real estate to increase cash flow by accelerating depreciation deductions which can defer state and federal income taxes and increase cash flow.When a property is purchased, not only does it include a building structure, but it also includes all its interior and exterior components.

Could this be a DIY kind of thing, If so is there any permits or code violations i should be aware of?

What kind of pet deposit is fair these days and is it fair to ask for more rent per month and how much? 

If you have a preference for what kind of area you would want to live, then the chances are you can locate a city with good growth and some investment opportunities in that area. 

Good luck. this kind of reminds me of my interaction with new home buyers. and they want to say swap out a light fixture they saw at home depot for 30 bucks.. and I charge 500.00  for one home depot items many times are not certified legal in the state they can sell them but if I get sued because it caused a fire and it was not state approved I am screwed.. ( been there done that one time and you only do it one time).

First, what would you recommend for how to structure the amount of equity I would earn and is there a rule of thumb for this kind of thing?  

Mainly it was kind of a bonus to us since we sold for  significantly more then we valued the portfolio at, and without an agent.