The one part that popped for me here was the less than 20% down - CMHC guidelines are pretty clear (from what I recall) - investor loans (which is what this falls under whether RTO or just straight up landlording or what not) require 20% downpayment.I believe that the chartered banks / credit unions all also require 20% down; there may be some players that do different ratios in Canada for non-owner-occupied but I haven't seen them.Sounds like (unfortunately) your banker gave you some poor advice from the get-go? 

I know the big players in Orlando I deal with are..

I also know Progressive's home owners product can handle rental properties.Hi Jason,In many parts of the country CBIZ is the main player.

I think this was a POst 08 melt down marketing slogan.Ask any bigger players ... cash flow is great you want that so you can then cash in on appreciation... so look for markets that have some move up potential I would think.Most of the cash flow markets of course were hit pretty hard so there is room to move up we are seeing that already as the as is before rehab prices have moved up in many markets 50% in the last year.. this creates some appreciation for buy and holders.

Real estate investing can be done effectively with leverage of other peoples's money, but in order to attract the players, you must bring something to the table also.  

Thanks for the plug @Shaun ReillyI didn't realize you were such a player in the New Castle area.

I see they promote world wide networking or something like that, but their website content is my second check on unknown companies.

Hey Byron, say, you're not the former Lakers basketball player are you?! 

Our saving grace on the buy-and-hold side is solid, reliable appreciation.I don't know Detroit personally, but I recently spent 3 days at an investor's retreat with 2 big players from Detroit, and based on their instructional presentation and dinner conversations, From what Robert & Frank shared with us, the situation in Detroit couldn't be more different from Charleston.  

@Travis Lloyd  08 took down many players in all asset class's.. there were foreclosures of multi all over the place..