If a property with those parameters should produce 6-8% returns with gradual increases as the market rises.

We started off in really rough stuff & have gradually focused our attention on higher end properties as the war chest grew.

More leverage through access to capital and people.The gradual shift needs to happen in the mind. 80% of MF RE is the mindset.

Not sure, even if Fed hike rate... it will be very gradual.....If Economy continue like this - there will be little Hike, may be around 1%If another recession - Rate will go down... i know there is not much space to go down... :)

Or gradually shift more in the favor of the institutions? 

Hi @Samuel Pavlovcik,Nice to see another fellow Chicagoan coming down to Atlanta, Like yourself my background is in architecture but I have gradually shifted over into development.

My plan to get started in REI is to rent my house out, I bought it when the market was at its low and now the market is gradually coming back up.

As the boundry line of Detroit spreads to other counties, it gradually adapts the same scenario.  

Have been house-hacking(ish) my Boston condo (formerly my primary residence since ‘04); currently renting for ~$3500/month for 8-10 month’s of the past two years and for significantly less for a little while before that ( as i transitioned gradually from renting/airbnb’ing as a one bed with my crap stored in the second to more of a proper furnished rental).

I think that you will find that there is no one good resource to learn about money management, and that lots of smart people here on BiggerPockets and around the web will disagree intelligently on the best ways to manage your money.I think that a good list of books to begin reading if you are interested on taking control of your money, learning to invest, and having money work for you, instead of having to work for money, are these:1) Richest Man in Babylon (Great for learning basic finance principles - probably the first book you should read)2) Rich Dad Poor Dad (Great for understanding how wealthy people think about money)3) The Four Hour Work Week (Great for understanding the concept of lifestyle design and that Effort does NOT always correspond to productivity)4) The Millionaire Next Door (Great for understanding about what REAL Rich people do with their lives and money)5) The Wealth Barber (A Great step by step look at a reasonable approach for a typical american looking to manage their wholistic financial position)6) The Compound Effect (A Great Book that Discusses the Gradual, then accelerative, then explosive nature of finance, and many other life objectives)Oh, and since you are learning about money - get these books from the library for FREE!