@David Faulkner I'm mostly looking for cashflow positive, or conservative cashflow neutral long term holds. 

If I believe that the expected expenses of the property will be about 50% of the monthly rent, then the properties I am considering would be cash flow neutral, at best.

So, assuming you didn't get out of college in December, and that you've had some appreciation, you can probably end up neutral with a lower payment.

So, my bulletproof investment formula is the following: Maintain at least a 40% savings rate, invest your savings at >8% returns to outpace the real rate of inflation, save until you can afford to put a large deposit down, flip that into a low fixed-interest loan, to generate at least a cash-flow neutral investment return on an appreciating asset. 

Most rentals end up being debt neutral of very close to that.

A craftsman style house in Wisconsin is going to have a very different color than a modern house in Miami.But without thinking too much into it, I think you are on the right track staying neutral, light colored, and soft.

@Keonte SingletaryStick to the neutrals.

This is a time for your trusted team to give your their neutral opinion.

In both areas you have to do the same due diligence. 2) For the same reasons as the above, I'd suggest it might be a mistake to look at one deal and then make an assumption about an entire class of investment.3) The article you included as a reference is not a neutral article.

But from the inspector's photos the current grading looks like its fairly neutral, as in not sloping towards the foundation.