While Section 8 offers benefits like guaranteed rental income and a larger pool of prospective tenants, there are administrative requirements and potential differences in payment expectations to navigate.Before making a decision, conduct thorough tenant screenings to ensure tenants meet your rental criteria beyond their Section 8 status.

@Jonathan Quintanilla:  Yes, there are several products, designed for larger/fewer #'s of units.

If you cannot pay it, the contractor has no choice.  

I have done 5 deals on my own as well and am currently selling my first (and only) residential property to do a 1031 exchange for a larger building in Berwyn where it all started for me. 

Your choice, but it is not reasonable to expect to pay lowest rent and living in above minimum maintained properties.  

Something just doesn't add up that this small, bedroom community would show up on this list compared to a Columbus or some of these other larger and more attractive metro areas.

Ranches have larger roofs so more water shedding from the roof during a rain.

The larger projects I am looking at, would require more funds (probably around $500,000) and a longer hold period (3-5 years). 

This will help you make informed decisions about future investments and optimize your portfolio.Scale your investments: As you gain experience and confidence in real estate investing, consider scaling your investments by purchasing larger properties or expanding into different markets.By following these steps and staying disciplined in your approach, you can successfully invest in real estate and build a profitable portfolio as a software engineer.

It usually requires a much larger down payment, like 50%.