Unless there's some major update to this town or if it's part of a larger MSA that is expanding or if homes are selling like hot cakes.

funny how that goes.. the heart of it.. is that the guru's or those that wholesale kind of want their cake and eat it to they want to be investors and make investor profits without putting up any money LOL.. 

There are so many different commission plans out there it should be a piece of cake to find one that works for you.  

You can't have the cake and eat it too.

You do not have to live there to have the benefits and upside and write offs.Look at my post below about buying condos vs 4 unitsIf you stay in OC and you are close by you can manage it better. ie live in HB rent in Brea, or Anaheim etcAn FHA 4 Unit in OC will loan out up to about $1.4m but the PMI will add about $1000 per month to your mortgage, makes it tough to eat that cost but if you can and refinance in a year it might work out.

If it appreciates that’s icing on the cake but not part of my strategy .

@Christian Scully I could be misunderstanding you, but it sounds like you're trying to find a way to have your cake (living outside of Providence) and eat it too (still have an Airbnb even after the new owner-occupied rules).I'm guessing that there are people who will try to do that, just like some people claim that they don't have a car or it's housed in a different city, but they actually live (and have a car in) Providence - to avoid the higher Providence car tax.Some people will probably find a way to get away with it, but some percentage might get caught.

@Brandon Ingegneri yup... this house has cake frosting cielings throughout EXCEPT the kitchen. 

The property that I am looking for needs to have healthy cash flow and appreciation would serve as the icing on the cake. 

If you truly can get it locked up at a good price and put together a pitch showing the numbers, then finding the $ to get it done will be cake.