The defining characteristics of an asset is not that it is cash flow positive monthly or even at all, though I do agree wholeheartedly with your statement that home values don't always go up and to the right forever.

Don’t see myself spending 20+ years building someone else’s dream.In my opinion, I think the discipline I learned from school with paying attention to detail and a strong interest in numbers are characteristics that give me a bit more confidence to succeed in the business.

I define a good tenant as someone who:Has stable employment in a market segment that is very likely to be stable or improve over time.Has a financial history that shows they are stable and pay all their bills on schedule.Does not engage in illegal activities while on the propertyDoes not cause problems with neighborsTakes care of the propertyStays for many yearsOnce you know the tenant pool you want to target, you can then define the property characteristics this tenant pool is willing and able to rent.