Used your HELOC to fund the down payment on a second property if the right opportunity presents, otherwise those returns wouldn’t be juicy enough for me to take on more debt for the sake of scaling if you’re buying at retail. 

I’ve been working probate leads here in San Diego for some time and your words are right on point…lot of time for sometimes little to no return. 

Real estate's "gross rent multiplier" is Wall Street's "sales to revenue",  "cap rate" is roughly "P/E ratio".When evaluating markets and investments I tend to start with GRM (or lazily the 1% rule), then attempt to return a cap rate based on assumptions about costs, then I work my way to multiple years of projections (assumptions about inflation, amortization, tax benefits, etc), and if I am partnering with one of my smart friends I have to pull up an IRR (internal rate of return).I also look at regional employment levels, median income to rent ratio in the zip code etc. 

While preferred returns sound appealing, they are often not realized as monthly cash flow.

Of course, with private lenders, you must give up equity or a return on the debt. 

That profit will increase over time and improve your return. 

That is a 3.4% cash on cash return in year one (7903/232000)Year 2, reduce 7903 by 5592 because there won't be property tax break so that is $2311, or 1% c/c return in year 2 (2311/232k)Year 3, reduce the $2311 by $4930 for PM fees for a net loss of -$2619 per year or a -1.1% c/c return in year 3 (-2619/232000)Essentially, these numbers are so far off of pro forma and there is pretty much zero wiggle room on these numbers. 

However it still comes down to return and desired area.  

Michael,Maybe you could hire two, see how they do, then give All to the one that meets your expectations, is efficient and returns phone calls

You'll make a much healthier return on your investment that way.If you simply want to buy a home and rent it out longterm, Elk Grove and Roseville are both considered more high-end suburbs and have appreciated significantly over the last decade.