I have tried to find potential syndicators by literally tracking down who bought apartments that I see clearly have new owners... but in each case, to date, the new owner appears to not be open to outside investors (and so far no local outfits), so that's not working out.Kurt, due to my industry expertise, I have a very wide network, and work with hundreds of syndicators nationwide.

WIDE open for mortgage fraud..

Make sure your back is wide enough to cover your own, and the floor is not that far from your comfort levels.

., then I would still have too wide of responses to be able to anticipate what the real costs might be for my particular situation, property, etc.For reference, my properties are in Class B areas of Milwaukee.

It’s a great area to invest but has its own challenges with rising insurance costs, reflecting the Florida wide issue. 

The labor and materials cost varies widely in different markets.

Granted, I self manage so I am meeting tenants, but at the end of the day, getting this gut check on the person I am going to trust living in my property kept me from having any issues with my tenants that would require a "more landlord friendly state".Given the wide swath of the country that is "landlord friendly", I would think more about places you know well and/or have ties to already.  

A return of 8-12% is generally considered good, but it will depend on your personal goals.Risk with Repairs: Major repair costs are always a risk, especially with a wide range like $145K - $200K.

The income necessary has a wide range depending on loan terms and house hacking where rent can be applied to income requirements.   

I got a property manager, an STR assistant, and a portfolio wide assistant.