Currently, I have a weekly check in with my current contractor, but alot of time it is a chasing game.

Watching and playing an active role in the transition from primarily 2nd liens to 1st and 2nd liens, laid the foundation for me partnering with GSP REI.

Both an agent and a wholesaler "should" be clear what role they are playing and how they are being compensated.

I have a few options in play right now for my goal of adding another property to my portfolio this year, it seems like the Chicago market is yelling at us to invest into single family homes in B+ areas.

The core principles in The Book on Rental Property Investing still hold up, but higher interest rates definitely change the game.

Personally, I would never live in PHX, but that is all personal biases (I prefer seasons and greenery), and clearly lots of people choose to live in PHX.At the end of the day, I would argue market selection almost only comes into play when you are talking assets that cater to institutional buyers that have to get investment committee sign off. 

I have Mutuals and Indexes- I have always played it safe, however, I've waited way too long to invest in Real Estate.

We now underwrite our deals with higher maintenance and are ok with lower cash flow for the first few years while we play catch-up with deferred maintenance.  

I have an 18 year old friend who plays competitive baseball and is a beast in real estate with his mentor. 

The biggest reason I would advocate for mixed use is for the reasons you mentioned, the leases are longer, but also the general "issues" around tenants on the residential side don't come into play as much or at all.