Union City I tend to avoid, there are a few pockets that work for MTR but for the most part the city's rental laws make life very tough for landlords. 

Unfortunately, I tend to agree that they really are not concerned with whether or not you have to cancel bookings. 

I think that equity gains in good areas tend to outstrip the value of cash flow in the long term but if you're pumping money into a rental property you're going to need a hell of a lot of equity to make up for not only the additional funds you put into it, but the opportunity costs lost in that money and the money that's in the property. 

But in the end/exit , the deal tends to be more important.Sanjay, this is a phrase I'm often repeating on podcasts, in my book, and here in the forums:A good sponsor can deliver the best possible outcome in the face of adversity, and a bad sponsor can screw up a perfectly good real estate deal.  

Plus the bar tends to be much lower, so it is much easier to stand out.

The numbers in the long run tend to be significant.  

Capex and tenant issues tend to exceed cash flow and when you decide to exit after a couple of painful years, you are in for another surprise:It is shockingly hard to sell cheap homes! 

I tend to find my own properties and deal with the realtors directly but having a realtor if you are brand new to the area, is helpful. 

i think you are wrong, but it doesnt really matter. and in my market, VRBO tends to be the bigger booking platform

Pad Split tends to have shorter stays.