Is there a generic rule anyone follows that tends to work? 

Some even say the MLS is the best place to start but I have found the increased competition to be rather challenging as my offers tend to get beat repeatedly. 

You referenced “financial freedom”, which tends to be Dave Ramsey lingo.Paying off your mortgage ASAP won’t make you money, it just saves you the mortgage interest is all.

People tend to only highlight one side of that coin. 

I also notice that property managers tend to do block viewings, they will show it to bunch of people and sometimes coordinating everyone’s schedule means that it may be some time before the “actual viewing”.

Bad areas tend to draw bad tenants.  

I host a Commercial Real Estate Mastermind group for only women. let me know if you're interested. 

That being said, it has been my experience that there are a lot of extra fees that are piled onto the Loan Estimate and they tend to have a higher rate to recoup more $$$.

Dealing with those kinds of guys can be quite difficult and they tend to be a bit weird.

So, I've only had to get my cleaner in a few times.My tenants tend to either be too nice or too scared to bother me with small repairs.