This is not the case for the majority of metro areas across the US.In less hyperbolic markets there wasn’t an intense amount of speculation so operators didn’t pay high and are weathering the storm on interest rate resets and are finding a way to refinance Deals with maturity walls.I am finding that a lot of killer deals with my clients are happening in the sub 50 unit deal space for those who need to sell, because there’s much less competition in a chase for yield.  

I had a couple clients lock in just recently at 7.1% on 10-30 unit deals.

Most investors start with 1 unit a year or so. 

An LLC shields personal assets from business liabilities, while S-Corp taxation allows you to reduce self-employment taxes by taking a reasonable salary and distributing remaining profits as distributions, which aren’t subject to payroll taxes.

Than learn with that safety net until your ready to take things back over to self-manage again. 

I think the right investor would do 2 units long term one unit short term. this strategy allows you the greatest flexibility. we are also developing an extended stay hotel that's 58 rooms. the size of the average room in that is 216 square feet and rents for a target $80 per night. our development cost per room is 100k per room with hard construction. the smaller you go the more money you make. if I was to suggest anything it would be to focus on the smaller part of the market and on multiple unit dwellings and finding and identifying markets that meet similar numbers. that will probably be midwest markets.

Find a 2-4 unit multi and live in one of the units.

I do see lots of self storage and warehouses going up, so my default assumption would be that the old shopping malls do NOT trade for less than build cost, but it's possible that the marketplace is not perfectly efficient. 

I think this is a calculation a lot of homeowners are making right now--especially if they have a low interest mortgage, equity, and their house will cashflow as a rental.The choice is a personal one of course, but I think your future self will thank you if you pull out some equity from your existing home with a HELOC for the downpayment on the next house and a cushion renting your current home, use a property manager as you have other things to do, and buy the next house and do the same thing again.

Remember, the notion of amassing wealth without investing is a dangerous myth perpetuated by self-proclaimed experts.