The biggest problem I have had with most wholesalers in Texas, is they make up fictitious inflated ARV's and Estimated Repairs trying to make their deals work. 

I am not as convinced as you that the rent increase will not keep up with utility increases.  5% + local inflation most years will mean 8%+ allowed rent increase. 

AFTER 10% maintenance, AFTER 10% cap x, AFTER 10% vacancies AFTER all the real expenses over inflated.  

On an inflation adjusted basis, we still have room for price increases before we reach 2007 levels. 

I'm looking to get my feet wet in the little rock region for some buy and holds, I'm hoping to find some recommendations on some good contractors in the area, inspection crews and property management teams that other investors in the area have had good results with.I'm primarily a vacation rental investor, however, my market is over inflated right now so I'm looking to diversify some with out of state long term linear markets, ideally I'm looking to buy low, rehab and rent.

I absolutely see the risks involved, I mean even just holding money seems risky to me, thinking inflation.

Day one cash flow is not the same as cash flow 10 years from now ... you need to make sure it is increasing on an inflation adjusted basis and that goes to the quality and long term supply & demand fundamentals of the neighborhood (hint: quality neighborhoods don't cash flow as well day 1, but do better +10 years).

I've been looking at home prices for a number of months now and it seems that prices have gotten out of hand. Everywhere I look online it shows that the next few years are projected to keep appreciating, but isn't tha...

If you're investing in real estate, unless it is value add forced appreciation, invest for cash flow, and any appreciation beyond the rate of inflation is just icing on the cake.

The price of gasoline has gone down, but, the average wage earner makes less now, after Inflation.