She has one source of income and it doesn't even come close to covering the monthly rent, let alone the utilities or anything else (which are provided by the tenant).

Purchase price: $585,000 Cash invested: $10,000 Utilized A&N's 5% down multi unit conventional option prior to the 5% down option becoming widely available.

Purchase price: $551,050 Cash invested: $12,000 Utilized the new 5% down conventional option.

You want to find a property with separate utilities so you tenants are billed direct.

You can utilize online resources such as the Worcester County Registry of Deeds (https://massrods.com/worcester/) for title searches, Realtor (https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Worcester_MA) for market analysis, and Auction.com (https://www.auction.com/) for auction-specific details and property information.

I actually utilized the FHA Home in 5 grant to purchase my first Triplex last year.

2 - 3x the rent & utilities.  

As you are based in Cali I presume you utilize a full-time property manager?

Regarding if you should DIY manage or hire a PMC:Many new investors read a couple of posts and then think self-managing their rental property, and avoiding PMC charges, is an easy way to boost their ROI.The reality, is that many of these investors really haven’t taken the time to properly understand what it takes to properly manage a rental property and the corresponding tenants.Here’s a list of some of the requirements to properly manage a rental property:Knowledge of all local municipality, state and federal landlord requirementsIntimate knowledge of all Fair Housing statutesUnderstand all federal privacy laws, as they’ll be handling social security numbers and IDsProper business insurance in the event their computer is hacked and or they improperly dispose of tenant data.Where to advertise their rental, other than ZillowWriting ads compliant with Fair Housing statutesCreating a process to accept calls/texts and schedule prospects to show their rentalA rental application and application fees that meet all local and state requirementsKnowing how to screen applicants to avoid professional tenants and the growing amount of fraudulent dataA lease compliant with all local, state & federal lawsUnderstanding local and state requirements regarding security deposit collection and holdingRent acceptance options for tenants and accounting system to track, including late fees, etc.Plans to handle nonpayment of rent issuesKnowledge of their local eviction laws or access to an attorney familiar with evictionsHow to accept, track and respond to tenant maintenance issuesBuilding a list of handymen and contractors for maintenance and turns between tenantsExpertise at evaluating tenant damages to charge against security deposit when tenants move outResearching local utility requirements to avoid suspension of services that could lead to frozen pipes or flooded basements, etc.

I also believe that we can utilize technological tools such as data analytics platforms and market research databases to track key metrics, market supply and demand, rental rates, and occupancy trends.