@Hiyun Park only experienced investors can DIY everything in Class C Midwest areas like Detroit, Cleveland, St Louis, etc.Hopefully the info below will help you:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

I accept the need for a competent PM and the reality that competence typically ain't cheap.

While I don’t typically work with real estate agents to find deals, I do collaborate with other professionals throughout the process.

Typically to grow a real estate business and raise money you are better off partnering with someone.

Current HELOC rates are typically 8-10% depending on your credit and lender, though some banks offer promotional rates.

While short-term rentals in areas like Kissimmee, Florida, can pay for themselves and offer lifestyle benefits, the ROI typically doesn’t match what I see from my traditional portfolio of long-term rentals in North Texas.That said, short-term rentals can still be a great choice, especially if you're drawn to the area and the opportunity to combine personal use with investment income.

The "typical" off market seller is someone who thinks their house is in too rough of condition to sell on-market, but doesn't have the money to fix it themselves.  

What I see is typically in the $3k - $6k range for those types of properties.

Quote from @Ogonna Odo:  Small ones will not, they typically like cash or checks.

I've done a few so I'm typically offered 90% LTC.