Make sure you understand the auction process and are prepared for any unseen issues with the property.Auction Considerations: With auctions, pay close attention to the condition of the property, title issues, and financing restrictions.

(There’s no way to transfer title that can legally prohibit enforcement of due on sale, except transfer to the owners REVOCABLE trust or transfer to children upon death).  

Keep in mind local zoning laws and market conditions in Portland versus Salem—Portland might offer higher rents but stricter regulations, while Salem could provide better cash flow opportunities.Your design approach has proven successful, so continue focusing on appealing upgrades like kitchens and bathrooms, but prioritize cost-effective and durable materials for rentals.

But I like stocks more than the average bear on this site, especially the tech monopolies which I expect to return 15-20% (so outperform real estate in current market conditions).

Once the property is in a rentable condition you can explore a strategy to rent it STR, MTR, or long term.

He did not like the condition of the unit but he volunteers to find the rehab if I used his guy and paid him back in a year.

With market conditions as they are I don't want to be too restrictive.  

Document the condition they left it, keep receipts for the charges, and charge it to their card.

These are the best options for finding sellers willing to transact in today's market at cap rates that make sense to the current interest rate environment, in order to capitalize on the upcoming favorable market conditions over the next few years such as spiking rent growth, falling vacancy, and compressing cap rates.Interest Rate ProjectionsLooking at the Federal Reserves Dot Plot, which is released every quarter and is the federal reserves outlook on where they believe the Fed Funds Rate, which does not control fixed-rate financing but does influence it, as well as directly affects floating rate financing, is predicted to be 3% - 3.25% by Year End 2027 (Source), currently sitting at 4.25% - 4.5% today.

Although the rent was slightly higher than the market rate, restoring the property to livable condition after just one year cost over $15,000.The property isn't listed on major platforms.This is concerning.