Rents seem high and in demand as well.

Most of these folks don't want to lose their voucher.Additional issue, when rent is too high, it slows down leasing. 

He scaled with quality, going full-on luxury top-shelf.

Section 8 is best used as a risk mitigation tool for properties in super low income, high crime areas.

The key is to standardize property quality and management systems, which would appeal to buyers seeking scale.If you’re thinking long-term, holding these properties for cash flow while leveraging local appreciation is also a strong play.

Crime and Tenant Quality: With the higher crime rate in 76104, how much impact could this have on tenant retention and turnover?

I am in Florida and that is exactly what I do..I help OOS investors find high profit investment properties. 

We have had to walk away from some decent deals because rates were too high to make the numbers work.

For high interest mortgages, usually break even or negative.  

The quality of your tenant is just as important as the investment you make.