You can go as low as 2.5x in some cases but NJ tends to produce enough traffic/applicants where 3x should be minimum unless property is over priced.

With growing Latino population that tends to have a lot bigger family, I am not worried about finding guests.

While it appears many rookie investors tend to struggle to hit the ground running due to lack of capital / financing, I have the opposite problem.

Right now, land (unless in a hot market) takes a special type of buyer/developer to turn it into money, so you're better off finding the thing the people with the money want. land tends to sit a long time...

And frankly we tend to over-improve a little bit, because I don't want to touch a house again in the next decade or two.

This tends to be more time intensive and more for someone that has a lot of time and limited income as you may find a "home run" type deal with some effort/energy.

Seems like an uphill battle and as Jay pointed out it would be a long, expensive process that tends to favor the seller (judges don't take forcing people to sell their property lightly).

While our home prices do tend to rise, the growth is generally at a more gradual pace. 

As someone based in San Diego, I’ve also noticed that investors eyeing California real estate tend to focus on potential future development or expansion (especially if you have the patience to navigate local regs).

It tends to hide marks better.Walls: Neutral tones like SW Repose Gray, Behr Swiss Coffee, or Moore Classic Gray are renter-friendly and modern.Trim and Doors: Use a crisp white like SW Extra White or Moore Chantilly Lace.Accent Walls: For a touch of style, consider an accent wall in soft blue-gray.